Ace Up Your Sleeve
by AsuraTheFallen
Summary: A antisocial school boy turns into the newly branded future legend. Encounters with interesting individuals cement new friendships in this quest to stop a power misused. But what can a human do to stop it? But everything changes once a even darker power is revealed.
1. Chapter 1

On a rainy day in the northern part of Nightshade City, a school is where our main character sits. The school had high dark wooden walls for the courtyard and the school itself was made of stone but had dark wooden floors. It was in the shape of a square and taught students a multitude of different knowledge about the world and others.

Ace stared out the window of his school's weapon art's classroom. He was antisocial and didn't like any one no matter who they were. He was sitting in the far back because he only felt comfortable with nothing behind him. The teacher went on about the pros and cons of an axe. "God this sucks." Ace thought. He checked his phone to see that there was only thirty minutes left of this class then the day would be over. He turned back to the window and watched the rain fall.

He wore black pants with armor on them, he also wore a black reinforced jacket with a white ace of spades on the back. His torso had straps on it that held four sheathed knifes on his back. He had a knife in each one of his shoes, sleeves, three inside his jacket. The lesson was interrupted when the door was knocked on. "Please be an evacuation." Ace thought to himself. The door opened and the head master stepped in with a girl at his side. "Fuck just another exchange student." Ace thought turning back to window.

The head master walked to the front of the class and whispered some things to the teacher and then left the room. The teacher spoke loudly. "Ok class this is Maya Raskalova. She'll be attending the school and this class from this day forward. Everyone say hello." Everyone said hello except Ace. "Well Maya tell us a little about yourself." The teacher said. "Well I am a jokester." The girl spoke with a faint Russian accent. "Tell us one." The teacher said. "Why do girls wear panties with flowers on them?" Maya asked and no one knew the answer. "In memory of all the faces that were buried there!" Maya said proudly.

The whole class died laughing including the teacher. Only Ace didn't laugh. "What's his problem?" Maya thought to herself. The teacher, after recovering, said "Maya go get a seat and we'll continue with the lesson." Maya looked around and there were plenty of empty seats but she took the one right next to Ace.

She walked towards the desk and Ace was able to get a good look at her. She was in a black hoodie that had fur along the outside of the hood and down the sides of the zipper. It had a skull patch on the right shoulder. She was wearing blue jeans and boots that could kick through a wall. She had long hair that reached to her hips and was an atlantic blue color. The hair that hung over her right eye was dyed a lagoon blue color. She had a perfect radiant face and pale lips. After Ace got what she looked like he turned back to the window.

She sat down in the desk right next to him and awkwardly looked at him and then to the teacher and repeat. The whole class she just kept switching between Ace and the teacher. He thought she was trying to figure out something about him but he ignored her for the whole class. The teacher came over and tapped on Ace's shoulder. "Yeah? What's up?" Ace spoke in a monotone voice. "Show Maya around why don't you?" He said. "Fine." Ace said picking up his bag which was a black sack but had thin strips of see through red cloth handing off of the top. "Come on." He said in his monotone voice.

Maya grabbed her stuff and follow Ace as he showed her the school. "Over here is the library, over there is the cafeteria, and this is the staircase to the roof. And out these doors is the courtyard." He spoke. The bell rung signaling that school was over. "Thanks for showing me around. Can I ask you your name?" Maya asked. "You don't need to know my name." Ace said. "Yeah but I thought we could be friends." Maya said. "Well you though wrong." Ace said. "Well I have to go home now." Ace said. "Well where do you live maybe we can walk home together?" Maya asked. Ace just thought about how weird this girl is and was about to say no but a few other students came over. "Maya want to go get something to eat?" The group of girls asked. They grabbed Maya's arm and started to pull her in a direction. "He truly is strange." Maya thought to herself.

Ace put in his headphones and walked out the front door. He walked down the street with his hood on due to the rain. He bobbed his head slightly to the beat of the song. He walked through puddles and over sticks. His black hair hung down to his shoulders and had a long thin golden strip on the right side. His blue eyes were sleepy and ready to crash as soon as he reached home. He stood on the intersection and waited for the cars to finish driving so he could walk across. He noticed the group of school bullies making their way down the sidewalk he was on.

He continued to listen to the song but he could hear what they said. "Hey fagget!" The Serbian ringleader named Stojan yelled and Ace didn't respond. "You fucking deaf!? I'm talking to you!" He yelled again. Ace sighed and pulled out his headphone and put them away. "Sounds more like prepubescent screaming but whatever." Ace said. "The fuck you say to me?!" The ringleader shouted at him. "Is there a certain thing you're after here?" Ace asked. "Yeah give me your fucking money fagget!" Stojan demanded. "HA classic. Is that really the best insult you have?" Ace asked. "Well what do you have pussy?!" Stojan yelled. "Oh so you do have an extensive vocabulary. I'd say for you… bucktoothed, inbred, fat, insecure, and a raging sexually deprived homosexual." Ace said.

Stojan was furious and charged Ace. Ace stayed calm and waited until Stojan was up close. Stojan tried to punch Ace but Ace dodged. Ace lifted his leg in a blink of an eye and did a hook kick to the side of Stojan's head and slammed him into the wet stone. The two other bullies ran towards Ace after seeing their friend go down.

The first one in a red jacket went after Ace's legs and tried to lift him off the ground and slam him down. Ace jumped over his arms and grabbed them while he was in the air. He landed behind the bully, still holding both arms by the wrists, and turned around. He kicked the bully straight in the back which dislocated his arms. He then took his arm and bent them at the elbow. His arms were bent in reverse and he fell to the ground. Ace turned to the bully in a yellow jacket and said. "Please tell me you have some common sense." The bully turned and hauled ass down the road. "HAHAHA!" Ace burst out laughing.

Still chuckling to himself he searched through the two bullies on the ground's pockets. He pulled out their wallets and took out the cash. "Have fun." He said putting the money in his own wallet and throwing theirs in a puddle. He put his headphones back in and continued to walk home. He walked to the inner parts of the city and up to a building named the "Ivory Life" and looked at the building like he did every other day. The building was a 5 story building made of grey stone. It had red banners with a sigil on it of a shield with a star on it. It had many windows, many of which were covered by curtains.

He walked down some stairs on the outside of the building to a lower floor and pushed open the dark wo0d door and walked in. The band was playing electro swing music and he was greeted by the joyful conversations of other patrons. The owner of the place had given him a room on the top floor in exchange for him to play on stage when he wanted. The bartender waved when he saw him enter and Ace waved back. Ace walked and sat in his reserved spot in the back of the room. It was in the corner and a cushioned bench wrapped all the way around the table to a half circle. A lilac scented candle was on the center of the table as well as a few incense burners. Ace hated the smell of smoke so he had these to block it from him. He sat away from everyone else but every now and then a drunk patron would come over and hit on him for some reason.

Last week someone did just that. "Hey sweetie can I get your number?" The drunk asked. "No." Ace replied. "Don't give me cold shoulder baby come on." The drunk got a little closer. "I'll give you a fucking tombstone if you don't back off now." Ace said not looking up from his book. The drunk clumsily got up and tried to run but slipped and fell. He then got up and ran out of the building.

The building was a combination of a musical hangout with smoking and drinking. Ace went down there because of the music and did stuff like homework or kicked his feet on the table and read his book. There were a number of other bands who played but the band who played now, when Ace didn't, was a friendly group. Ace played by himself and played the guitar. He only played acoustic and when he did he'd play on the strings and hit his palm against the wood to create an extra beat to the song. He also does a special where if he gets enough tips from the crowd he plays guitar bar lounge remix.

The singer of the other band was a woman with red hair with black underneath. She had pale skin and a clear face and a piercing on her bottom lip. She repeatedly tried to socialize with Ace but he shut her down each time. Ace was so engrossed in his book he didn't realize the music finished playing. He was knocked out of thought with his book when the signer came over and gently slapped his shoe. "What's up buddy?" The girl said. "Not much Harley." Ace replied. "How was school?" Harley asked. "Why?" Ace asked. "Cause I wanna fucking know." Harley said. "You not going to believe this Harley." Ace said. "What? What happened?" Harley asked excited. "It was school." Ace said. "Aw come on! Don't get me all riled up for that!" She yelled. "What are you over here for Harley?" Ace asked. "I wanted to see if you wanted go get a drink or something." Harley said. "You know what? Fine. Go get yourself one and come back." Ace said.

Harley jumped up excitedly and ran across the room and order a drink. She looked back and saw Ace pull a bottle out from a lockbox under the bench. He poured it into a simple cup and waited for her to come back. "So what're you drinking?" Harley said. "Golden flower tea." Ace said. "What does it taste like?" Harley said kicking her feet up on the table as well. "Sweet yet bitter." Ace said as he took a sip. "So why are you doing this again?" Ace asked. "Cause you're a loner and I know little to nothing about you. You've been here for a little over a year and I pretty much know everything about everyone here except you." Harley said. "There are plenty of people inside the city walls. Why me?" Ace asked. "Cause I find you interesting." Harley said. "Well I find you annoying." Ace said. "Well… that's a start at least." Harley said. "What do you like to do?" "Read." Ace said. "Which was what I was doing before you interrupted me."

Harley stood up and closed the curtains to the booth they were in and sat back down. "Why'd you close the curtains?" Ace asked. "Because I don't want people to spread rumors about us." Harley said. "There is no _us_ also shutting the curtains is pretty suspicious." Ace said. "What is your problem?" She asked. "Excuse me?" Ace asked. "Why are you so cold and distant from everyone?" Harley asked. "Just am." Ace said. "That's not the answer." Harley said. "Well it's the only one you're getting." Ace said. "Come on! Try to be nice." Harley said. "You've got a cute butt." Ace said making Harley slam her head on the table and groan. "That's not what I meant!" She said. "Well what did you mean?" Ace asked. "Be a friend to someone or warm up to people." Harley said. "Unlikely." Ace said.

"Well how about… AAH!" Harley started to say but was cut off by Ace throwing a knife and have it hit the wall right next to her. "The fuck!" She yelled and then turned to the knife and seeing it stopped a large spider from reaching her. Ace wrote his number down on a piece of paper and folded it into a triangle and tossed it to her. "I'm going to bed." Ace said. Harley snatched the paper and shoved it in her pocket. "But it's only 5." Harley said. "Your point being?" Ace asked before walking through the curtains.


	2. Chapter 2

He walked across the room and up the stairs on the far side. He walked up the fifth floor and opened the door to his apartment. His room was basically half the floor and was really spacious. The owner of the building was a really close friend of Ace's mother and that was the reason for getting such a nice place. Ace shut the door to his studio apartment and looked around the room. It wasn't like other studio apartments where it's all new and futuristic. A catwalk that lead to the roof went right past his window and he always kept it covered with a heavy curtain because of it. He had a simple room, a couch, tv, stereo, and such. He never did like the high life. He slipped out of his jacket and shirt and set his belongings on the table and went so sleep.

*Next day*

Ace was sitting in the classroom ignoring Maya once again. The bell rang and he quickly left the school and started to walk home once again. He was buried in his book and didn't have his headphones in. He heard running behind him but realized the sound was different then from Stojan and his group so he didn't pay any mind to it. He saw out of the corner of his eye, Maya run up and begin to walk with him at the same pace. "Hi." She said. "Hello." Ace said not looking up from his book. "Can I talk to you?" Maya asked. "If it's about us being friends then no." Ace said in his monotone voice. "Well how about we get to know each other. I'm 18 how old are you?" Maya asked. "19." Ace said agreeing just to get her to leave. "Well… what do you like doing?" Maya asked. "Reading." Ace said. "Anything else?" She asked. "Not your concern." Ace said. "What's your name?" Maya asked. "Ace." Ace said. "No last name?" Maya asked. "Maybe. Don't know." Ace said. "Maybe you need someone to talk to." Maya said. "Maybe but I choose not to." Ace said turning the page. "You're really antisocial. How far do you expect to get in life?" Maya asked. "Don't care. I'll find something." Ace said. "Maybe work from home." "Where's the fun in that?" Maya asked. "The fun is the fact that I get to be alone." Ace said. "Well at least me and you are talking." Maya said. "Congratulations." Ace said.

They were quiet for a while and Ace was nearing the Ivory Life and he didn't want this random girl to know where he lives. He quickly thought of an idea to lose her. He put his book away in his bag and slowly put his hand on the knife in his right sleeve. The special trick about this knife was that it had a rope attached to it so he could use it like a grappling hook. He quickly grabbed ahold of it and stopped at the intersection. "What's wrong? We can cross." Maya said. Ace shrugged and waited for the normal convoy to pass on this road. They went at incredibly high speeds and didn't stop for anything. When the final truck was whizzing by, Ace threw the knife with all his force and it dug into the metal and curved into a hook. The rope went after it and Ace held on tight. Maya was confused at first about what was happening but then Ace said. "See you around." And took off with the truck. "Oh you smart bastard." Maya yelled at Ace.

Ace climbed up to the roof of the truck and turned around and waved at her before sitting down. "No you don't." Maya said to herself before slamming her hands together and slamming her open palm on the ground. A roaring sound was heard in the distance and Ace watched as what he saw was what he didn't expect. A massive hover bike soared right past the convoy and to Maya. It stopped and she jumped on. She turned it around and faced towards the convoy. The bike was massive like the size of a truck and had four jet engines on the back as well as two spoilers that came off the back. It had a yellow and had blue coursing through piping on it. The four jet engines on the back were out shined by the massive Sword engine that stuck out of the back. It had long blue lines of cloth that hung off the spoilers. Electric arcs extended from the bottom of the bike to the ground as it the sheer power of it kept it afloat.

She aimed it at the convoy and took off her hood. She revved the engine and it sounded like thunder to Ace's ears. She got comfortable in the seat and slammed down on the gas. The bike reared back before rocketing at incredibly high speeds towards them. The convoy thought that it was someone trying to steal the goods and also picked up speed. Ace realized that Maya would easily reach him while he was on this truck so he started to jump up to the front vehicle.

The bike started to quickly reach higher and higher speeds and Ace now knew that no matter what the convoy wasn't going to work. He knew the convoy had a policy that any vehicle goes down it, the rest still won't stop. He knew that the convoy makes an incredible right turn up ahead and he used it to his advantage. He threw the right sleeve knife and used it as a hook to stay on the top of the truck and use the left one to pulled the rear truck and tip it over, blocking the road. The truck fell and rolled a little before skidding creating sparks. "That should stop her a little." Ace said retracting both knives. He was corrected when she jumped over the truck and, instead of going back to the road, decided to start driving on the roofs of the buildings. "This girl is fucking awesome." Ace said to himself.

Maya jumped off the roof of the building and did a front flip as she fell. "WOOO HOOOO!" She yelled. She hit the road and the electric arcs made a loud snap and crackle and burnt the street. "Is that all you got!?" Ace yelled at Maya, even though he doubted she heard him. Maya replied with a middle finger and a smile. Ace burst out laughing. "Catch me if you can!" He yelled out, taunting her because he wanted to see more. All this time Ace hadn't realized that he wasn't speaking in his normal monotone. His voice was now husky but joyful.

The convoy was now nearing the gates. The gates flew open and let the convoy through but shut before Maya could get through. "Please tell me she is…" Ace began to say waiting. As the convoy drove away from the city, Ace heard a thundering boom. He watched as Maya skyrocketed over the top of the towering walls. "FUCK YEAH!" Ace yelled. Maya put the engine into overdrive and it was now leaving a trail behind her. When she was at the peak height in the air, she climbed off the bike and did a jesus pose on the side of it, but kept her right hand on the handle bar. She climbed back on and did another flip and hit the ground with the electric arcs coursing through the ground.

The convoy was now in a dense forest and Ace decided he was done having fun and was now going to try and actually get away. He waited until she was behind him and he threw both knifes into two different trees and made them block the road. Maya did the same thing with the flip. When she was facing away from him, Ace threw the knife into a tree and jumped into the forest. He kept going deeper into the forest slowly arcing back towards the city. He hooked up to the top of the walls and turned to see Maya looking around for him on her bike. "HEY!" He called making Maya turn around.

She quickly did a full 180 and rocketed in his direction. "Well. Fun times over." Ace said as he activated one of his powers for the first time in a while. He stretched all his muscles and turned around. He vanished as if teleporting but to his eyes he was running extremely fast. By the time Maya had even gotten close to the walls, he was back at the Ivory Life. He rarely used this power because it took an insane amount of energy from him. He pushed the door open and Harley basically tackled him.

"Where the hell have you been!? This is the first time in forever you haven't been here at the usual time?" Harley asked. "Well sit down and I'll tell you about it." Ace said going to his reserved seat. "So what happened?" Harley asked. Ace proceeded to tell Harley about Maya and the bike chase. "Your joking." Harley said. "I swear." Ace said. "The fucks up with her?" Harley said. "Your sounding a tint jealous Harley. Is that the case~?" Ace asked jokingly. "What! No!" Harley said. "Get your stuff ready we're going somewhere. Me and you." "Harley as much as I am easily convincible right now. Are you sure that's a good idea. I mean a crazy girl with a super bike is right now probably searching the city for me and you want to go on a date." Ace said. "Yeah your right." Harley said sadly. "Seeya later cute butt." Ace said smiling at his new nickname for her. "Don't call me that." Harley said. "Alright alright. I'm gonna go to bed." Ace said as he went back up to his room. He got into his sleep wear and plopped down on his bed and tomorrow the weekend would officially begin.


	3. Chapter 3

Ace woke up in his apartment late in the night. It was pouring down rain outside and he could hear it through the walls. He flipped over on his bed to try and get comfortable but was startled by a noise outside. It was the roar of Maya's bike. "She's still looking for me?" Ace said to himself. The bike's engine was a low rumble compared to earlier. He heard it in the street below and it pass by each building slowly. He couldn't get to sleep after that and he got up. He turned on the lights and looked around his room for anything suspicious, he himself didn't even know why he just wanted too.

It was his bedroom which was simple and normal. Posters on the walls and failed creative attempts. He put on a black long sleeve shirt and opened the door to the other room. The rest of his apartment was just one big room basically. A kitchen on the other side of the wall of his room and a bathroom in the other corner. The living room was in the center and a large screen tv was hung on the wall. There was an upstairs area above the living room which was a reading space. A row of cushions made up the bench he kicked back on while he read. He went over to the kitchen and got himself a slice of pizza and sat down on the couch.

He took a few bites and was about to turn on the tv but he heard footsteps. Normally this wouldn't be a surprise because there were other rooms on this floor but it was strange because they came from the roof. He listened and recognized the heavy footsteps. They sounded like boots. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." He said. He finished eating the slice and sat quietly, listening to the footsteps on the roof.

They suddenly stopped and he thought she had left. A knock came from the window that was covered by the curtain. Another knock came, this time louder. "Ace. I know you're in there." He heard Maya whisper. "Open up. Please." She said then became quiet. Ace didn't get up at first but then the thought that she must have a serious reason that she's doing this and he got up. He went to the window and pulled away the red curtain. He saw Maya sitting on the hard metal fire escape with her head down. She was absolutely drenched. He knocked on the window and this made Maya look up and her face light up. Her hair stuck to her face as she weakly stood up. Ace undid the four locks he had on the window and let her in.

"Th- thank you." She said weakly. Maya held herself and shivered. "Showers that way. Go warm up." Ace said as he walked her to the bathroom and started the water. "Slip your clothes out the door when you get them off. I'll dry them off." Ace said before closing the door leaving Maya standing in the bathroom alone. He propped himself against the wall next to the door and waited until it opened slightly and she pushed her wet clothes on the floor out of the bathroom. He picked them up and took them to the dryer and hurried to get them done. When they finished drying he took them to the door and knocked. The shower was right next to the door and Maya opened it while she was still in the shower. She grabbed the clothes from him with a quick thank you and he closed the door. Ace got a drink from the fridge and sat on the couch and waited.

Maya stepped out of the bathroom with her jeans on and her jacket tied around her waist. She was wearing a light blue tank top. She set her boots next to the door and she started to dry her hair with the towel as she walked over and sat down on the couch. "You realize that I want an explanation?" Ace asked. "Naaaaaaah. You don't need that." Maya said sarcastically. Ace looked at her with an eyebrow raise. "Tell me the entire truth. Don't lie." Ace said. "I need a place to stay." Maya said. "Why?" Ace asked. "I don't have one." Maya said. "Don't you have a family. Go stay with them." Ace said. "Well I would but I ran away." Maya said. "Go on." Ace spoke. "My mother doesn't do anything but constantly agree with my dad. No matter what he wants, she agrees. He wanted to sell me to the Crimson Thorns." Maya said. "You mean like THE Crimson Thorns? The basically largest criminal underground group in existence?" Ace asked. "That's the one." Maya said. "I had to get out of there so I took my clothes. Lost those. Money from dad's wallet but that ran out. And my brother's bike." "What happened to him?" Ace asked. "Mom told me he left but in reality… dad sold him too. The bike is all I have left of him." Maya said. "Why'd you come here? Don't you have anywhere else to go? Not to be rude." Ace said. "Mom and dad's family disowned them both. I had no friends, no other family, nowhere to go. Dad beat me to keep me scared so I wouldn't disobey him. I came here to try and get a new start but… but…"

Maya trailed off and tears started to form in her eyes. "I was stupid! No one here wants a teen that looks like me! Bright hair! Boring personality! No one would give me a job! No one would take me in! I asked the people at the school and they all think I'm a loser now! The only person left is you! I've slept in alleyways and in the middle of forests for weeks!" Maya curled up and cried into her knees. "Well I guess I can relate to you in a way?" Ace said. "Wh *sniff* What?" Maya asked. "My dad was a scumbag too. He left my mom and I when I was very young so I have no idea what he looks like. Fucker could be dead right now and I wouldn't care. Mom passed away due to the Death's Eye disease. First the pain in her ears came and then the ringing and then it took her eyesight. Her mouth became inflated so sometimes she couldn't breathe. Soon the pain became too much and the ringing turned to voices in her head… the voices drove her to insanity. From the start I could only watch the woman who birthed and loved me… slowly tear away at herself. She chewed her flesh, scratched at her eyes, and other things. She didn't want to have the doctors end it early so she could look after me. But by the time it was too much… the little pieces of sanity and reason were devoured. She attacked me and the guards were called. She attacked them and they put her down like a dog. After that her lifelong friend, Selles, gave me a room here and after that. Here I am." Ace spoke.

Maya looked in his eyes and she could tell he was telling the truth. "I'm so sorry." Maya said. "Were you there?" Ace asked. "No." Maya said. "Well then don't be sorry." Ace said.


	4. Chapter 4

Footsteps were heard running down the hall before banging started on Ace's door. "Ace?! Are you ok? I heard yelling?" Harley asked. "The key's inside the mouth!" Ace yelled back at her referring to the skull that sat in an Ace of Spades symbol on the door. He heard fidgeting behind the door before it flew open and Harley stood there in her dark red pajamas. "Who's she?" Harley asked. "Oh Harley, you know if that's going to be your first question I'm beginning to think that you really are jealous." Ace said. "Shut it. Who are you?" Harley asked Maya. Maya told Harley her story, everything from the school to this point. Nothing before. "WHAT THE FUACK!" Harley shouted. "Woah missy. Language." Ace said. "You've been cold as Jack himself and now your letting the girl, who you met yesterday! Stay with you!?" Harley said. "There's a fair reason for it." Ace said. "Like what!? I've been trying to get your ass on a date for nearly a goddamn year and you're just letting her stay!?" Harley yelled. Ace reached into a bowl on the table and grabbed a chocolate bar and threw it at Harley. Harley didn't react quick enough and it hit her forhead. "Eat a snickers. You aren't yourself when your jealous." Ace said making Maya laugh and snort a little.

"You. Me. Date tomorrow." Harley said before slamming the door. "Are you sure she's right in the head?" Maya asked. "Don't worry. Tomorrow she'll be a totally different person basically. Can't really blame her for reacting that way after I told her about you earlier." Ace said only then realizing the mistake he just made. "Oh really? What'd you say?" Maya asked. "Uuuh. How about a joke. If it makes you laugh, you can't get mad at me when I tell you." Ace said. "Deal." Maya said. "How can you tell which one is the head nurse?" Ace asked. "I don't know. How?" Maya asked. "She's the one with the dirty knees." Ace said with a wink. "HA!" Maya said realizing what he meant. "Give me one more." Maya said. "What do you call a Lannister girl who can outrun her brothers?" Ace asked. "What?" Maya asked. "A virgin." Ace said. "I don't get it." Maya said. "Ok well then how about…?" Ace tried to think of another one. "How does Ygritte know that it's almost winter?" Ace asked. "How?" Maya asked. "Cause Snow already came." Ace said. "Still don't get it." Maya said. "Fuck… You tell me one then." Ace said.

Maya and Ace proceeded to tell jokes to each other throughout the night until Maya ended up falling asleep. Ace picked her up and carried her to his bed where he tucked her in and went to go sleep on the couch. He woke up to shuffling behind him and he stretched. He sat up and turned around to see Maya pacing around the potted plant he had on his counter. The flower was a rare, tall plant and can be found only in dark, shadowy places.

It has narrow, circular leaves, which are usually lime green. It also grows quite small flowers, which can be dark purple and dark blue. "What are you doing?" Ace asked making Maya jump because she thought he was asleep. She spun around and accidentally hit the pot, knocking the flower to the floor. "I uhhh…" Maya said softly. "Sorry." "Don't worry. Damn thing was about to die anyway." Ace said standing up and cracking his neck.

"What type of flower was it?" Maya asked still bummed about the fact she broke it. "A void sprout. They only bloom twice a year for a week. They grow in insane numbers, I found some in a cave out by the Vril Jungles." Ace said. Maya was about to speak but knocking came from the door. Ace walked over and opened it and Harley was standing there twisting her hair with her finger. "You ready?" Harley asked. "Just woke up." Ace said. Harley stepped past Ace and saw Maya. "Hey uh sorry for what happened yesterday." Harley said. "No problem." Maya said. "Where are you two going?" She asked. "The races are in town and we're going to go watch." Harley said. "OOOO can I come please! I want to enter!" Maya begged. Harley looked at Ace and back to Maya. "Sure don't see why not." Harley said.

After a while of waiting for Ace to get ready, he came out in his relax clothes. He wore a simple black shirt and black jeans that still were reinforced. He walked out of his bedroom and grabbed something from a drawer in the kitchen. "You ready to go watch the races?" Harley asked. Ace looked back at her and reached into his pocket. "Who said I was just going to watch?" Ace asked as he pulled out a key from his pocket. "Whats that for?" Maya asked. "You think you're the only one who owns an Archangel?" Ace said.


	5. Chapter 5

They walked down the street towards a guy named Slavomír. Slavomír was fixing up Ace's Archangel after Stojan wrecked it after stealing the key from Ace while he was asleep in class. They all walked up to the run down building that Slavomír worked in. Ace went up to the garage door and did a secret knock. The door rose up and a big beefy man stood with a handkerchief around his neck and a tool belt around his waist. "Ace! My friend! Who is girls? You're not starting harem are you?"" Slavomír asked. "Whats up Slavi?" Ace said giving him a high five. "They're just my friends. Is the bike ready?" Ace asked. "My friend. Bike is good. I do good job, yes?" Slavomír asked. "You always do an amazing job. But we're in a hurry. Got to get to the Adrift races." Ace said. "No problem friend! Bike is around back. Take good care of her." Slavomír said before closing the door.

They walked to the back of the building and Ace opened another garage door. A large object was coved by a black sheet in the center of the room. Ace walked over and ripped off sheet and exposed the Kyuubi. It rested on the floor and was at least twice as big as Maya's Archangel. It was black and had red in some of the same parts as Maya's, which were the standard for manufacturing. It had two massive horns for the spoilers and a giant fox skull rested on the front. Maya's Archangel had five engines, Ace's had 9 and an Excalibur engine in the middle. "You can't be serious." Harley said. "I know I have an amazing taste." Ace said as he put the key in.

The Kyuubi whirred to life and rose slowly off the ground, immortal power came out of the bottom like a thick fog. It had two seats, one for the driver and one for the passenger that sat directly behind the driver but elevated a little. "Well let's get to the races." Ace said. "Fuck Yeah this is gonna be awesome!" Maya said. "You two are insane." Harley said rubbing her temples.

Maya called her Archangel and she climbed on. "Race you to the raceway!" Maya said. Ace watched as she sped off and just stood there. "Well aren't we going to race her?" Harley asked. "Just wait a second." Ace said and waited. A few seconds Maya drove back and said, deathly embarrassed, "I just realized I have no idea where it is." Ace laughed and climbed onto the Kyuubi. "Harley come on." Ace said holding out his hand. "And they say chivalry is dead." Harley said taking his hand. Ace lifted Harley at least halfway before quickly letting go of her and put a fake shocked expression on his face "Wait! Chivalry is dead?! I miss him already." "You ass!" Harley said while laughing and lying on the floor. Maya laughed herself.

*Conveniently placed time skip*

Ace, Harley, and Maya were now sitting at the starting line. It was pouring down rain, and thus the track, for wheeled vehicles, would be harder. Ace was wearing a helmet because the rain would sting his face at high speeds. The races took place far outside the city, in the middle of nowhere. A massive racetrack sprawled throughout the Gryhm Wilds, so the race would be nothing but following the trail and dodging trees at high speeds. A massive spectator stand was to the right of the racers and on the very top was a platform for the announcer and a special booth for a special guest. Hundreds of cameras were in position along the tracks. "LAAAAAADIES AND GENTLEMEN! GIVE IT UP FOR! KING! HAGAR!" The announcer riled up the crowd. A much larger man stepped through the fog on the platform and threw his hands in the air, fireworks went off all along the top of the stands as he did this. "LET ME HEAR THE CHEERS!" Hagar yelled making the spectators go wild. "AT THIS YEAR'S ADRIFT RACE WE HAVE RACERS ALL OVER THE GLOBE! INCLUDING THE REIGNING CHAMPION! SHOOOOOCK!"

Three vehicles down from Ace, a man stood up on his seat and raised his right hand in a raise up motion. The crowd went insane and cheered wildly. The man continued standing and Ace got a good look at him. He wore a pair of baggy jeans with a chain belt and a tight light blue shirt. He had short spikey electric blue hair. His face was young and lively, since the boy himself looked no older than 16. Ace noticed his right arm was robotic from the upper arm down. It wasn't made to resemble an actual arm. It had five fingers and the fore arm was nothing but metal resembling the bones, no flesh. The elbow had a spike that extended for a while further. Where the fingers curved and the arm moved at the elbow, there was a bright blue neon light. Ace looked down and his eyes widened at the vehicle this kid was driving.

An actual Balthazar Inferno. The massive 6 wheeled, all terrain monster. It wasn't made with any big manufacturer and Ace knew that Shock probably made it, just like he had made his custom Archangel. It was about the same size as the Kyuubi but to everyone else, it outshines everyone else at the race. It had a menacing shape. It was in the shape of a lowrider bike that had three wheels on the front to form one massive wheel and three in the back that were split apart. Shock realized the vehicle Ace and Maya were driving and jumped off his Balthazar and came over. "Nice ride. An Archangel right?" Shock asked with a slight German accent.

"You'd be correct." Ace said. Shocked looked over at Maya and said. "Not only have I seen a beautiful ride but also a beautiful lady." Shock said putting his foot on Ace's Archangel. "Feet off." Ace said making Shock take it off but not stop his advance on Maya. "If I win can I get your number?" Shock asked. "How about if you beat him…" Maya started pointing to Ace. "You can get my number." Maya finished even though she didn't have a phone. "Deal." Shock said running back to his Balthazar.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST JOINING US THIS RACE! THE PRINCESS. HER MAJESTY IN ALL HER LIGHT AND GLORY! ASHLOTTE!" The announcer cried and lights went off pointing to the special guest box. An elegant woman waved and blew kisses to the spectators. "THIS YEARS SPECIAL AWARD FOR THE WINNER… A INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCESS! RACERS! START YOUR ENGINES!"

The racers all revved their engines, Ace, Maya, and Shock's vehicles louder than the others. "3!" Maya tightened her grip on the bars. "2!" Harley held tighter to the chair and the straps holding her. "1!" Ace yawned. "GO!" All the racers took off, except Ace. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING GO!?" Harley said. "Wait." Ace said. A second later a large number of explosions went off signaling that the other racers had taken out each other.

Ace hit the gas and took off with a boom. Everything passed by them with a blur. He drove further on and found Maya waiting for him. He drove at the same speed as he and yelled at her. "Maybe I should lose! You could use a man!" "Fuck you!" Maya jokingly yelled back. Ace laughed and rocketed past her. He rocketed past every other race until he reached Shock. Shock was taken off guard when a black blur whizzed past him. The cameras slowed down and showed what happened. Ace drove by flipping Shock off while overtaking him. "SHIT!" Shock yelled as he floored it.

Ace and Shock were now head to head, even speed for the entire race. They precisely swerved around trees and rocks, following the track. Shock repeatedly tried to play dirty by ramming Ace but he always dodged.

Their vehicles made ear shattering booms as they tore through the forests. They were reaching the edge of the forest and the final span of the track. Ace was slightly ahead of Shock when Maya burst through the trees with and electric entrance. All at the same time, they burst out of the trees and were now racing across an open field to the finish line. Shock's vehicle tearing into the dirt. Maya's archangel electrifying it. Ace's archangel draining the life of the grass, resulting in a black trail behind the Kyuubi.

"Well time for the finale!" Ace yelled. "What do you mean!?" Harley asked. "Hold on tight!" Ace yelled out as he pulled a fox eye from his pocket. It was a small red gem but it was so much more. He opened up a little slot and put it in. The engine shut off and the vehicle fell to the earth. The skull dug into the earth and the bike slide for a little before it returned to life. "IMMOLATION!" Ace yelled. The skull on the front of the bike flew open and fire burst out of the eyes. Fire erupted from the bottom of the Kyuubi, scorching everything underneath it and the engines burnt the air behind it. The Kyuubi seemed to come to life and soar past Shock and Maya in an instant, a banshee like scream coming from the skull. Maya had enough time to turn her vehicle away but the side of Shock's was burnt severely.


	6. Chapter 6

It shot straight past them silently, sound coming a few seconds later as a sky shattering rumble. It was increasingly harder to control the bike in this state. As speed continued to rise, Ace felt lightheaded. He felt wetness on his face under the helmet and now knew that if they went any faster it could be even more dangerous. Fire devoured the open field but was put out by the rain. The skull began to laugh as the bike got closer and closer to the finishing line. Before it hit the finish line, the skull shut, the fire stopped, and the bike turned off. The bike slid for a good 30 meters before Ace stopped it. "I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! SHOCK, THE REIGNING CHAMPION, BEAT! BY A NEW CONTENDER! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! BOOOOYS AND GIIIRLS! GIVE IT UP FOR! AAAAAAACCCCCEEE!" The announcer cried as the crowd went wild, cheering his name.

Ace stood up in his seat and raised his hands to the air, milking the attention from the crowd. Harley jumped up and hugged him and she raised her arms too. She cheered and the announcer called "MASTER DRIVER! COME TO THE ANNOUNCER PAD! AND RETRIEVE YOUR PRIZE!" Ace looked at Harley and gave her a high five before jumping off the Archangel. Maya drove up and stopped next to him. She took off her straps and kicked her feet onto the top of handlebars and said. "Fuck that was such a good rush." "Maya, you okay?" Ace said unsure of what he just heard. Maya just chuckled to herself. Shock drove up and got third place.

"FUCK!" Ace heard him yell. "I don't think he likes losing." Ace said before beginning to walk to the announcer pad. He walked up to the announcer pad and a short man was standing on the edge. "I'm here for the prize. Where's the announcer?" Ace asked. "Boy, you're looking at him." The man said turning around. He had grey hair that was very short and green eyes. His face was craggy yet welcoming. "Very funny." Ace said. "I'll prove it." The man said before coughing. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" The short man said just like the announcer. "How can you do that voice at such an old age?" Ace asked. "Wisdom of age boyo. Here." The man said handing Ace a group of envelopes with the royal insignia of the Dragon. "Tickets granting entry to the royal masquerade. Later tonight is when it takes place. Get going." The old man said pushing Ace towards the stairs.

Ace walked out to where the Kyuubi was and saw Shock had already sped off. Ace held up the tickets and said. "We're going to a royal masquerade. Any of you wanna come?" Maya and Harley both agreed happily. Ace climbed onto his bike and waved to the final people in the stands before turning to Maya and saying. "Meet us back at the Life. Just go up the stairs as soon as you get in." Ace then sped off, racing Maya back to the Ivory Life. Ace and Harley were sitting down on the couch, Harley making her mask still. Ace had finished his and Maya's and she just now walked through the door.

"So what are our masks?" Maya asked. Ace pointed to the group of three masks on the table. They were all different colors. Red as a primary and gold for the secondary was Harleys. Blue and gold for Maya. Black and gold for Ace. Ace's mask was a human face that was without details except for the eyes and mouth being shut and crumbling like stone. The outside of the mask branched along the persons face at random lengths. Maya's would be a wolf with symmetrical designs. Harley's was a porcelain like harlequin mask. "How did you make them that quick?" Maya asked. "Just a quick spell. It made the material in the form of a clay. When you think of what it'll look like, it'll form into it. I was thinking of making you a bikini but sadly I didn't." Ace said. "Sadly? Does that mean you want to see me in less clothes?" Maya asked with a slight smile. Harley punched Ace in the shoulder. "Ow hey what was that for?" Ace asked. "Pervert." Harley said turning back to her mask.

*time skip*

They were now walking up the steps to the manor, Manor Hazlevale. They were all wearing their masks and wearing black, common in Nightshade for royal events. Ace pulled out three bottles of a purple liquid and handed one to both Harley and Maya. "Take this." He said to them. "Why? What is it?" Harley asked. "A vial of jealousy. They don't play fair here. They people in the game will cheat to get an answer so, to become someone totally different, drink this. It'll change your voice and hair. Don't worry I have the reversal at home. The only other way it'll break the spell is if someone finds out who you are and tells you directly." Ace said chugging his. Maya and Harley did the same. "Tastes sweet." Harley said, now with a fruity voice and short blond hair. She was now slightly taller and had more sway to her step. Maya now had modulated voice and medium length brown hair. Maya stayed the same height but now walked with more confidence. Ace's voice was honeyed, like a master liar. His hair now reached his waist and was crimson red.

"Well aren't you a hunk." Harley said. "Your voice doesn't fit that tone." Maya said as they reached the front doors. They each handed over their ticket and stepped through the front door. A large room with white, reflecting marble floors. A massive diamond chandelier hung from the roof. Numerous doors leading to other rooms led each direction. A hazel colored wood of the finest quality made the balcony and pillars of the room. All the patrons stood in this room until the night began. After a short time, everyone had arrived. Ace, Maya, and Harley had all signed the guest book in random places to hide their arrival at the same time. The front doors locked and candles on the balcony lit up with a yellow glow. "Wondrous patrons. I welcome you to the HazleVale estate." The princess spoke, elegantly and orotund voice. "This year's game, will be guessing. You will each draw a name from the box. You must correctly find out who that is by the time the night is over. I wish you all a pleasurable evening." Ace thought she said the word "pleasurable" with a little too much emphasis. "Let the fun begin." The princess said.


	7. Chapter 7

The patrons all drew a name then left to go to other rooms. "Fuck me." Maya said, her paper reading, Shock Betrov. Harley's paper reading, Asura Blackwillow. Ace's paper read the name April Habita. "Let's split up." Ace spoke. They all went to different rooms. Ace walked to a library that had bookcases stacked to the roof, filled with exotic printings. He walked to the next room which turned out to be the room for the dining table. Rows of strange, outlandish foods. The main dish was at the center of the table. A roasted and seasoned Lemon-bellied Tartiack. Its horns were removed along with the fur but everything else remained. The beast was well known for its lemon flavored flesh and thus was famous among royals, despite it being almost extinct. Ace scouted the rooms for anyone that stood out.

He spotted a somewhat short woman sitting alone by herself on a cushioned bench, gazing out a window. Ace walked closer and saw she had a bowl of olives in her right hand and ate them, one at a time, with her left. She had hair a color similar to dark chocolate. She was wearing a mask of a Queensland Heeler. She stared out the window that overlooked the span of wilds, lit up by the celestial moonlight. Ace walked up and stood behind the bench by a good three feet and to the right of her. "Do you need to sit here?" The girl asked, eating an olive. "No. Just enjoying the view. Same as you." Ace said as he continued standing. "Well do you need something?" The girl asked, eating another olive. Ace decided to change the subject and ask. "You must really like olives huh?" "Not really but some guy, really young you could just tell. He came up and gave them to me before walking away and laughing to himself that he "olived her"." The girl said. Ace sighed because he had an idea of who that was.

Ace decided to test his new voice and sat down then asked. "Care to tell me your name?" "Why would I tell you that?" The girl asked. "I'll make you a deal. Show me your name you drew from the box and, if I know who it is, I'll tell you who it is. Only if you tell me yours though." Ace said. "I don't trust you." The girl said. Ace put more honey to his voice and closed his right eye and then said. "Come on you can trust me. There's at least a hundred plus people here. What are the chances that you're my name?" He said as he slowly opened his right eye, it now a shade of purple rather than the normal blue. "I uhh…" The girl started to say but droned off. She stared deeply into his eyes and a strip of drool came out from under the mask. "A… april." The girl said in a monotone voice, handing over her paper.

Ace unfolded the paper and saw the name that was written read, Harley Prisco. "Sorry I don't know who that is. Luck isn't on your side; you were my name." Ace said as he shut his eye and walked away. The girl still stared into the same spot for a few seconds until Ace was far gone and then returned to consciousness. Ace walked to the box and put the paper back and walking away. As he was looking for both Harley and Maya, a man with a with shoulder length red hair and gentle green eyes that shown through his mask. His mask was in the shape of a dragon, symbolizing he was of incredibly high stature. He didn't have any body markings, tattoos and scars, which told Ace that he probably hadn't been in a fight in his life. The man walked past Ace but put his hand on his shoulder. "Stay safe." The man said before quickly walking away and disappearing in a crowd. Ace felt strange after that. He felt stronger and quicker.

Ace found Harley sitting at the table eating a plate of Tartiack. He sat down next to her and asked. "Any idea where Maya is?" Harley replied through a full mouth "As far away from her name as she can be." "I can see why." Ace said as he looked over at Shock, who stood out like black to white because he was so much younger than everyone else. He looked further to the right and saw the princess enter the room. Everyone one else bowed as she walked by and, to keep up appearances, he did the same. What stood out though was that she came in three times again. Each one was an exact copy, height, voice, mask, and clothes. The only difference was the color. Black, red, blue, and white. They went to each and every patron and asked if they were having a pleasant evening. They now walked towards Ace and Harley. Ace stood up and gave a formal bow, resembling the formal bow of Aukhovaria, a faraway kingdom surrounded by scorching sands, in order to throw everyone off. "How is your evening doing?" The princesses asked all at once. "Fine madam. How's yours?" Ace asked. "My my such a gentleman." One said. "Attractive even with the mask." Another said. "First time someone has asked us ours." A third said. "Absolutely extravagant." The last said. "You're absolutely extravagant even with your mask. Can you believe that I'm more of a gentleman in bed? I would bet that that's the first you've been asked that." Ace said. "Oh smart thinking." Red said. "I'll hold you to that" black said. "Such a charmer." Blue said. "Care to tell us your name?" White said.

"You know I can't do that my sweet." Ace said taking the one in black's hand and kissing it. Black chuckled to herself. "Aww such a stickler for the rules." Red said. "Why is she getting all the attention?" Blue asked. "There's more fun to be had ladies. Let us be off." White said before all four of them left. "Was that really necessary?" Harley asked. "I'm doing it to throw off my trail. I wouldn't do that shit under different conditions." Ace said.


	8. Chapter 8

*Elsewhere*

Maya was sitting in the center of the hedge maze outside. She sat alone in the night, the only sound being the water dripping from the fountain. "What's a beautiful being like you doing here all alone?" Maya heard a disembodied voice say. "Wha.. Where are you. Who are you?" Maya demanded. "A person like you is in no place to make demands… but I'll obey." The voice said. A humanoid shape stepped out of the shadows. A menacing smile of sharp teeth and one large orange eye bore down on Maya. "What are you?" Maya asked. "I'm under direct command… to not say." The woman walked over and sat down next to Maya. "Tell me Maya. Why are you sitting here all alone? The fake appearance of Maya broke and her true shape was exposed. "How do you know my name?" Maya asked. "I know many things." The woman said. "I don't know." Maya said. "Now I know that's a lie. This is about the boy isn't it?" The woman asked. "How do you…"

Maya started but was cut off by "I said I know many things. Tell me what's wrong." "I don't know what's wrong. I just feel a mixture of emotions." Maya went on for a while talking to the strange woman. "That's only natural to feel that way… Tell me Maya. What do you think of when you think of love?" The woman asked. "Well. Blissful happiness. Where two people are connected so perfectly if forms a bond that could outlast anything." Maya said. "Now look at me. What do you think when you see me?" The woman asked. "I see an all seeing eye. An evil smile. A strange appearance. It makes me not know whether or not I can trust you." Maya said.

"That's what love is. You can see it everywhere. It can see all. Sometimes it can have an evil look in the form of a strange appearance. Sometimes you don't know whether or not the lover you feel for someone is something you can trust or not." The woman said. "How… How can you speak those words with such confidence?" Maya asked. "Because I know love." The woman said. "How can someone truly know love?" Maya asked. "Because I have felt the feelings of true love from billions upon billions upon billions of people and more." The woman said.

Maya thought to herself so a time before saying. "But the only way one person could feel all of that is…." Maya's eyes grew wide. "At your service." The woman said. "But. But." Maya said. "Why am I here? Well many things. Some your mind wouldn't understand. I've come bearing information." The woman said her smile growing even more. Tentacles slithered around Maya's leg and up around her arms. "Things that'll interest you… Melody… Misaloga." The woman said as a tentacle came up and touched Maya on the forehead. Colors flashed in Mayas eyes and her previous life and countless before that were shown to her.

She fell to the ground coughing before it was like someone entirely different spoke with Maya's body. "Goddamnit Nadalia! Leave me be!" Melody demanded. "I can't simply let you waste away." Nadalia said. "I wish to wash away with time! I remain unable to do that as you keep finding and resetting me!" Melody demanded. "Sister please! I can't just let you be. I just can't!" Nadalia said. "Sister, We've been having this disagreement for eons! Let! Me! Die!" Melody yelled out. "Sister please…" Nadalia started to say but was cut off by Melody hitting her hard. "If you truly loved me you would let me wash away!" Melody said. Nadalia couldn't speak after that, the feeling of guilt and selfishness overwhelmed her. "Is that truly what you want?" Nadalia asked, her voice brittle. "Sister it's what I've wanted for years!" Melody said.

Nadalia swallowed her pride and told her to hold still. Nadalia walked over to Melody. She held her face and began to cry. Nadalia cast a spell that separated Melody and Maya. Maya was now laying on the bench asleep. Melody stood there, waiting. She wore her age old blue dress. Her short light blue hair and orange eyes. Her sculpted face facing Nadalia. Nadalia walked over and held her actual face this time. She started to bawl. "Sis… sister… I love you." Nadalia said as she gave her sister a deep hug. Melody hugged her back "I love you too. Tell everyone else goodbye. Thank… you… Nada…li..a" Melody said as started her flesh and bone fell apart into a crystal blue dust.

Nadalia cried as her sister began to disappear and become ripped from time itself, forever never to return. She pulled back and looked at her sister's face. Melody actually smiled to Nadalia. Nadalia began to slowly smile as well but was stopped as a crack violently and instantly formed on her sisters face from the right side of her chin to the left side of her forehead. Melody shattered like glass and fell to the ground. Nadalia went back to the hug. There was nothing to hold Nadalia up against and she fell hard into the pile of dust, clenching the dress. "Sis… sister... MELODY!" Nadalia cried into the dress. Her tears were stopped as she felt a soft hand on her hair. She looked up and a barely see through version of Melody standing there. She was made of light blue fog. Nadalia was about to stand up but the spirit of Melody rose slowly into the sky angelically. She reached high into the sky and dissipated and scattered.

Nadalia cried even more into the dress and was now curled up holding it. She cried more and more until a black fog started to from underneath her. She didn't move and continued to cry, shattered over the fact her sister was gone forever. The black fog slowly enveloped her and she was swept away to some unknown place.


	9. Chapter 9

Maya woke up on the bench a little while later. She yawned and realized what just happened. She remembered everything up to the point where a tentacle touched her forehead. "That was… no way…" Maya said to herself as she began to try and find her way out of the maze. "Fuck which way did I go?" Maya said as she started to run through the maze. As she was running she collided with someone. A tall man with dark blue hair and dark blue eyes. She hit him with force, making her fall to the ground. She looked up and the man didn't budge. "Have you seen a woman? Orange eye?" The man asked in a deep voice. "Uh no. I haven't." Maya said, afraid because she could tell that there was a much more sinister atmosphere to this man. The man knelt down and stared deep into Maya's eyes. "Typical. Liar." The man said then scoff and walked further into the maze. "I have to get out of here." Maya said.

After a while she finally got out of the maze she ran back inside. She found Ace sitting at a table. "Holy shit dude!" Maya whispered to him loudly. "What? Whats wrong. Why are you not in disguise?" Ace whispered to her. "Don't mind that guess what I found." Maya said. "What?" Ace asked. "You aren't going to believe me. Have you ever thought about how there are people that are not like us… higher than everything?" Maya asked. "Once or twice. Why?" Ace asked. "Maya was about to speak but something strange happened. A voice spoke to her. "Don't speak another word or I'll kill you where you stand." The voice said. Maya looked around cautiously and saw a man with a dragon mask staring at her. "If you mention another word. You will die." The voice said. "Leave the table. Go to the courtyard. Now." The voice said.

"Uhh I'll be right back." Maya said. She quickly got up and made her way to the courtyard. She stood in front of the statue of the phoenix. The man with the dragon mask was already there. She walked up and stood, afraid. "What do you know?" The man asked. Maya shivered because a blood curdling essence in the air. "My lord I uhh." Maya began to say but the man interrupted her. "No need for titles. Answers are mandatory." "I don't know what you speak of my lord." Maya said. "It's unwise to lie to someone who can abolish your live right here." The man said.

Neither of them spoke for a while. "Are you going to kill me?" Maya said. The man sighed "Listen. I know it wasn't your fault. You're just a…. result of a small amount of collateral. I'll make you a deal. Information for Information." The man spoke. "Where are you taking this?" Maya asked. "I'll take the information from you. You'll forget the events ever happened and in return I'll give you something you desire." The man spoke. "How can you know what I desire?" Maya asked. "Not your concern. It'll be a rewarding game. You give me the memory and you get what you desire and your life." The man spoke. Maya thought for a while. "I accept." The man snapped is fingers and she went blank. He waved his hand through the air and red and purple threads exited her head.

After a while she returned to consciousness. The man made her memories form to fit that she never met the woman in the maze. "Who are you?" Maya asked. "I am a friend. I've come to give you this." The man said and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a necklace that was made of pure silver. An emerald heart was laid in the center surrounded by two silver wings. Two silver vines were on the bottom. "How…" Maya said before quickly snatching them from the man. "But this is…" Maya said. "Yes it is." The man said. "But how can…" Maya droned off. "He's alive." The man said. Maya began to cry tears of joy. She hugged the man and cried into the man's shoulder. The man patted her on the back. "I can't tell you where. You'll have to find him." The man said.

Maya turned around quickly and ran back into the mansion. The man stood there and watched her run away. A woman in black and white hair emerged from the shadows. "Was that really necessary Asura?" The woman asked. "Yes I do know that I could have just taken it." Asura spoke. "It's the least I could have done for someone who had to deal with Melody for that long." "What's the other reason?" The woman asked. "Come on snowflake, this isn't the first time I've meddled with mortal affairs. I've just planted a seed. They'll need to provide the needed care. It starts a chain." Asura said. "So I take it our work is done?" The woman asked. "It's far from over. But we can retire for the night." The man said. "Aleksander's still here. Can we trust him?" The woman asked. "Selena can take care of him. Let's go home."

Ace was still sitting at the table when Maya came up and said she was heading home. "You can't just walk out. The doors are locked." Ace said. "Yes but the hedge maze is open and you can easily climb over the wall." Maya said. "It's a pure drop." Ace said because the mansion stood on the edge of a cliff. "I own a fucking hoverbike." Maya said. "I stand corrected. See you at home." Ace said as she walked away. A while later the princess announced for everyone to come to the main room. Ace stood next to Harley as the group of multicolored princesses walked onto the balcony. As they all started speaking at the same time, Ace felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see a group of manor butlers, all wearing identical Volto masks. "Follow us sir." They all said as they pulled him away from the crowd.

They lead him up a staircase that lead to a hallway that had a multitude of paintings of previous Hazlevale family members. As he walked, he could hear the princess through the walls list the names of the game winner. They lead him to a door towards the end of the hallway. "Step inside sir." They said and he walked in. They closed the door and he stood in the dark. Candles lit around the room and across the room, the princess sat. Her yellow eyes happily welcomed the sight of Ace. "Ace. How are you tonight?" The princess said, destroying the disguise. "How. in the fuck. Did you find me out?" Ace asked. "Many things. You were the first to finish the game. The way you did the Aukhovarian bow, you put the right arm first and switched the feet's positions. When you kissed my hand it left traces of your potion. I must say you are good at hiding yourself but not good enough." Ashlotte said.

"Well why have you called me?" Ace asked taking off his mask. "I've won the game thus I deserve a prize. I mean to claim my prize." Ashlotte said with a smoky voice as she got up and walked towards Ace. She put her hand on Ace's shoulder and walked around him. "Where's this going?" Ace asked. "I find myself… attracted towards you for some unknown reason. There's a sense of… something I can't explain when I see or hear your name. You have a great power within you. A power fit for a king." Ashlotte said. "You first heard of me at the race." Ace said.

"Not true. You are Alvar's son." Ashlotte said, gaining Ace's interest. "My… father?" Ace asked. "You don't know this but he spoke about you to my mother every day. Talking so highly of you and how he hopes you grow up to be a good man." Ashlotte said. "Tell me more." Ace said turning to face her. "I said you're my prize. You're in no position to make demands." She said as she backed up and locked the door.

She unbuttoned her robe and let it fall to the floor. She was wearing a light purple gothic corset along with matching underwear. She wore light purple stockings as well as she walked towards Ace seductively. "What if I decline your offer?" Ace said as a joke even though he was quite pleased at the sight before him. "I'm sure I can think of something that can change your mind." Ashlotte said. She walked closer and put her hand on Ace's chest. Her other hand held his face as she brought her lips closer and closer. Before her lips could touch Ace's he said. "Fuck this." And pushed her against the wall and took control of the situation. "God I love a man with courage." Ashlotte said.

*Insert lovey dovey frick frack scene here*


	10. Chapter 10

Ace now sat back at his room with Harley. "Well she was fucking wicked." Ace said. "I can't believe you fucked her. The princess no less." Harley said. "I can't resist a nice ass what can I say?" Ace said and went quiet. "I wonder what's keeping Maya." Ace said. The door slowly opened and stepped in Maya except… she was wounded. "Maya what happened?!" Ace said running over to her. "Group… three…. Green hair…." Maya said before she collapsed. Ace went quiet. "Harley fix her! I'm going to repay the fuckers who did this!" Ace yelled, his blood boiling. "What why now?! We should wait until she's better then go get them." Harley said. "No ill go now." Ace said. "Who would give Maya such abuse?" Harley asked herself. "Who? All a bully needs is a fucking excuse!" Ace yelled before running down the stairs. Selles saw Ace run down the stairs. "Ace what's wrong?" Selles asked. "Get the fuck out of my way!" Ace yelled. Selles had never seen Ace like this and thought that it must be very troublesome to get him in this state and he quickly stepped aside.

Ace ran outside and called the Kyuubi. He climbed on and rocketed down the street. He had full knowledge of who did this. Stojan. It was one thing to terrorize him but another to not only terrorize but to physically harm his friend. Ace stopped at each road and looked down them with a scope. After a while he found them. Stojan with his two best friends, the ones who committed the terrible act. All reason had left Ace's mind, for some reason all he wanted was… revenge. He pulled up behind them as they walked down the sidewalk. He turned his headlights on high and slowly followed them as they walked. "Who is this asshole?" The one in casts, due to Ace breaking his arms, asked. "Don't know. Just keep walking." Stojan said. After a while the one in casts had had enough. "Hey asshole! Fuck off!" He yelled. The headlights shut off and a faint ember lit in the skull of the Kyuubi. A laugh started, weak at first but shifted to sadistic laughing. Fire shot out of the eyes and the skull opened. "FUCK RUN!" Stojan yelled. They all ran as fast as they could as the Kyuubi quickly caught up. Stojan and the second bully quickly jumped around a corner but the one in casts wasn't quick enough.

In an instant the Kyuubi hit the boy in the chest, crushing all his bones, and slammed its jaws. The boy screamed in pain as the demonic bike carried him to his death down the street and ripped him in half, all while laughing. When the Kyuubi first grabbed the boy, Ace jumped off and now stood at the street corner, in front of Stojan and his friend. "You!? YOU FUCKER!" The boy yelled and rushed Ace. Ace stood there and waited until the boy's fist was right in front of his face. In one quick motion, Ace took the knife in his right hand and stabbed the boy in the left shoulder and sliced down to the right side of the pelvis like a saw. He took the boys arm and stabbed it at the upper arm, going all the way through, and in one motion cut it all the way down to the fingers. He took the knife in his left hand and cut into the boy's right shoulder and ripped the flesh until the arm fell off. He then shoved both knives in the boy's throat and spun around the boy's body, forming a clean cut and severing his head.

"You're a monster! A freak! Get away from me!" Stojan yelled as he tried to crawl away. "Go Stojan! Run! Like the bitch you are!" Ace yelled sadistically, blood on his face. While Stojan was running, Ace threw a dart at him that hit him in the thigh. The dart contained a highly hallucinogenic serum. Vision started to blur while Stojan ran. In his ears he heard Ace's voice call to him to embrace him. Stojan ran and ran and ran until he couldn't any longer. He turned a corner and cursed himself when he saw it was a dead end. Instead of running further down the street, for some reason Stojan ran further and hid behind a dumpster.

He waited for a while until he didn't hear anything. He kept seeing faces in the walls and was now whispering to himself. That's when he heard it. The slow clicking of shoes on the concrete. Click. Click. Click. Click. Getting closer. Click. Click. Stopped. "Oh Stojan… here you are in an alley full of filth. Fitting." The sadistic voice said. Stojan jumped out from behind the dumpster and saw Ace standing at the entrance. To Stojan it wasn't Ace. A large black figure stood at the entrance to the alley. It was at least 20 tall and hunched over slightly. Circular red eyes dug into Stojan's being. Stojan grabbed a stray pipe of the ground ready to stand and fight. A large smile of jagged and razor sharp teeth formed on the face of the shape. It laughed and the sound chilled Stojan's blood. "It's one thing to harm me but now…. You've gone too far." Two demonic hands reached around and opened the coat the shape wore. The held pieces of clothing seemed to cover the entrance of the alley completely. Black mist slowly crept out from the darkness inside the coat. Dark creatures seemed to try and climb out of the mist and towards Stojan. His hands trembled as his chances withered against the large hoard of monster. Unholy sounds came from the mist. After a while it became too much. Stojan dropped the pipe and backed up against the wall. He fell to his knees and began praying for someone to save him.

He was stopped when a hand viscously grabbed his throat and lifted him off the ground. "Goodbye. Stojan." Ace said. Before Stojan could even beg for his life, Ace shoved the right hand knife into the mouth of Stojan. He took the left hand and shoved it into his left eye. The first knife from his coat into his chest and cut downwards. He took the other two knives and shoved them through the corpse's hands and pinning it to the wall. Ace backed up and admired his work. After admiring his work, his eyes widened and he fell to his knees. "Oh god what have I done? What came over me? I… I didn't mean to kill anyone. What can I do now? Have to make sure I can't be caught." Ace said to himself. He quickly thought of something. He went to the corpse and took the organs of the corpse and fixated them to the wall and to resemble wings, the common calling card of hitman working for the Thorns.

He quickly called the Kyuubi and drove to the river. He shoved his hands into the water and tried to scrub the blood off of him. He washed the remains of the first boy from the skull of the Kyuubi. He did everything he could to remove all evidence of his person. He quickly drove back to the Ivory Life but stopped driving at least a block away. He quietly ran up the fire escape and knocked on his window. Harley let him in and he quickly ran past her and sat down on the couch and threw his head into his hands. "Ace? What's wrong?" Harley said running to him. "I don't know what happened. I don't know what came over me." Ace said. "What happened?" Harley asked. "I… i… i… killed them…." Ace said. "You what?" Harley asked in disbelief. "I killed them." Ace said. "Do you know anything that would have made you want to kill them… besides Maya?" Harley asked. "I'm not like that. I'm no stranger to fighting but when I chased them down… it felt amazing." Ace said then thought to himself for a while. "The only thing I can think that would make me change like this was… there was a man… at the masquerade… red hair and green eyes… he put his hand on my shoulder and told me to stay safe… after that I felt different… but it felt like someone else was with me for the rest of that night…" Ace said.

"Well this wouldn't be the first time this has happened." Harley said. "What?" Ace asked. "The phantom man. That's what he's called. Reports of a man with red hair and green eyes that comes into contact with a person and after that the person changes. It's been going on for years and years, so long that the guy should be dead. He tells them something and, people say, that he gives the person some of his power but it's what changes them." Harley said. "So I'm fucked basically?" Ace asked. "The reports in the news always said that its only in fights. The person can't control themselves. As long as you stray away from fights you should be fine." Harley said. "But I killed them…" Ace said. Harley got right into Ace's face and said. "Look at me. That wasn't you. The man is helping you, probably from something much more powerful than you. The experience you just had is a side effect. He did a good thing but at a price." Harley said. "It. Wasn't. you." Ace nodded and Harley pulled him in and hugged him.


	11. Chapter 11

*Days later*

Harley was now taking care of Maya's wounds and checking on the status of Ace. After that night a few days ago he just… passed out. Once when she went to check on him there was a red fog around him and she swore she saw a human figure right next to him late in the night but she wasn't sure because she had just woken up and her eyes were blurry. Harley was worrying for Ace. Maya was strong and she surely wouldn't let anyone finish her completely.

*Weeks later*

Ace was in a different place. It was vast field of red roses and the sky was a night sky full of countless stars, and yet it was bright as day. He was wondering in this place for what seemed like weeks. His spirits lifted when he sat down to rest and looked on the horizon and there was a figure walking towards him. When he got closer to the figure he saw it was in the shape of a human but made out of black petals. The petals seemed to contract and then burst outward. The new shape was of a tall man. He was wearing a dark red vest and a black undershirt that had red stripes on it. He was wearing a black pair of jeans and suit shoes. The gentle green eyes felt soothing to Ace but he could feel an extremely large power coming from the man.

"Greetings." The man said, his voice sounded strange almost like it was made of numerous others. "Who… are you?" Ace asked. "Just call me a friend. I'm sure you have a numerous amount of questions." The man said. "Where are we?" Ace asked. "My own pocket dimension." The man said. "Why?" Ace asked. "I had to place your being somewhere safe while your body becomes accustomed to the power I bestowed upon you." The man replied taking a hand out of his pocket. "Why would you give me your power?" Ace asked. "I've seen the events that will occur in your future. I gave you the power needed to gain a chance to do them as fate demands. I'll be with you during those events but not beside you. The battle that takes place at the end of the road will be changed drastically by a single action. It'll be your choice as to which action you choose." The man said. "Your power turned me into a murderer." Ace said.

"I shall not deny the fact that it has turned you a tint evil. But is it not human to commit such acts? No human is free of malice. As long as powers keep the universe balanced there won't be a problem. I gave you my power or as you put it the power of evil, which I take as an insult, and you can atone for this "evil" by doing good during the events in your future." The man said. "What if I choose not to?" Ace asked. "Then the end of your road will change." The man said. "What about the others? Maya and Harley? Surely they wouldn't see me as a human after this." Ace said. "You really care what others think? I'll just give you the answer you want. If they truly love you." The man said, shuddering at the word love. "They would stand by your side till death take them." The man said. "Will this power grant me the ability to stop death?" Ace asked. "You can't stop me." The man said. As the words left his mouth all the roses withered instantly. Ace felt his spine crawl hearing those words and seeing the smile on the man's face.

"You…. Are death?" Ace asked. "I am…. Many things." The man said. "What lies at the end of my road?" Ace asked. "The end of your road will change based on your actions. I am hoping it ends at the one that fate demands you go to. There is a man. One who should be brought to justice. That man and the fight you shall encounter with him…. May or may not change the fabric of the universe itself." The man said. "Can't you go after him yourself?" Ace asked. "I can and it would be easy but I wish to see how it would play out with a mortal at the helm." The man said. Ace was about to ask another question but was interrupted. "I'm afraid I must leave you. May your journey be full of delicious encounters." The man said. In a second the man was right in Ace's face. The man gave a fierce head butt to Ace which caused Ace to fall back. When Ace fell to the ground, he fell through it and was now falling through darkness.

Ace felt like he hit the ground but instead he was awake in his bed. He looked around and looked at his clock. "3:45" the clock read. He got up and felt much stronger and yet…. He hurt all over. He was only wearing his pants and he felt a burning pain on the upper left side of his back. He shambled his way to his door and opened it. His apartment was cold, very cold. He could tell by the socks hanging off the side of the cough, that Harley was asleep there. He turned to his left and saw a woman with white hair sitting on the floor next to Maya, who was asleep and laying down. "Who are you?" Ace asked. "Don't worry about me." The woman replied. "You're in my apartment next to my wounded friend. Of course I'm going to worry." Ace said. "Well I see you got a bit of his stubbornness as well. She's going to make it." The woman said before disappearing. "Need to get better security in this place." Ace said.

He went to the fridge and got a glass of tea and went to sit on the couch. Harley was asleep on the couch, she was in her dark red pajamas and was underneath a blanket. Her hair hung in front of her face and she was snoring slightly. Ace playfully slapped her feet, making her snort and wake up. "Wha?" Harley asked in a daze. "Scoot over." Ace said. She slowly scooted over and she fell back to sleep. "Jeez she must really be out of it if she just dropped again." Ace said.


	12. Chapter 12

Ace waited until she woke up again. Harley sat up and stretched and yawned. When she saw Ace she jumped on him. "Are you ok?" She asked taking his face in her hands and looking for anything wrong. "Why wouldn't I be?" Ace asked removing her hands. "You've been out for weeks?" Harley said. "Weeks?" Ace asked. "Yeah weeks. What's wrong? You look like you've seen something." Harley asked. "When I was out that same man was with me. The one in the stories you said. He said he saw the events in my future and the power he gave me will help me progress along that road." Ace said. "Im gonna go splash some water on my face help me wake up." Ace said as he walked to the bathroom.

He turned the cold water on and splashed it on his face and looked up at him. He felt a stinging pain on the back of his left shoulder. He turned a little and looked in the mirror. On his back was a pentagram that looked like it was burned on. He gently touched it with his pointer and middle finger and a voice started to speak to him. It was the same voice as the man. "Newly branded… Your journey begins with one word…. Oxglen." "The fuck?" Ace asked as he touched it again and the same message repeated.

He walked out the bathroom and said "He left a message. He said I should look for something named Oxglen." Ace said. "Oxglen? I know where that is." Harley said. "How do you know these things?" Ace asked. "I grew up there. I told you this before. You need to listen when I speak to you." Harley said. "Yeees mooooom." Ace said.

Maya began to stir and she woke up. "Maya are you alright?" Ace asked. "She's been out for as long as you have." Harley said. "I had a strange dream. A woman with white hair told me I need to follow you Ace." Maya said as she sat up making the bandages around her torso visible. "Well I guess it's similar to mine." Ace said. Ace told Maya about what's going on and then Harley spoke up. "Oxglen is way high up in the mountains. We can't use your archangels or an avalanche would happen. There are cabins at the stops between lifts to the city. Let's get going." Over the next few days, they all made their way to the base of mountain Steok. "How long will this take?" Maya asked. "A little more than a day." Harley replied. "You think he knows that we know that he's following us?" Ace asked. "He's not really the sneakiest person." Maya said. Shock had been following the group since they left for some reason.

They boarded the first lift that went up to the mountain. Ace held on to the bar on the front and watched them rise through the glass. "Do your parents live in Oxglen?" Maya asked. "Probably… never met them." Harley said. "Oooooooh…. Ill shut up now." Maya said.

After a few hours they were now stepping off the 6th lift. "We should almost be there." Harley said. When there were about to board the 7th lift, Shock came running out of the 6th lift. "Hey wait for me!" Shock said. "Hey I was wondering when he'd show up." Ace said. "You really need to cover yourself better. We've known you've been following us." Maya said. "I was following you because…" Shock looked around in every direction. "You were being followed." Shock said. "Yeah… by you." Ace said.

"No by a man. He was dressed in all black. I drive by your place nearly every day but since you went to the Hazlevale Manor he's always been outside. He left the same day you did in the same direction. I don't know where he is but he is definitely following you." Shock said.

"Did you get a look at him?" Ace asked and motioning Shock to step in the lift with them. "No he was always wearing a trench coat and a mask." Shock said. "Well just in case we need to be on guard in Oxglen." Harley said. "Why are you even going to such a remote city?" Shock said. "Personal reasons." Maya said. "Uhm alright?" Shock said.

They rode the lift up to the edge of the top of the mountain. They stepped off the lift and stood on the top of the mountain. In the valley below lay the sprawling city of Oxglen. A city that the mountain helped shape it and it was one of the hardest cities to siege. All the way up the mountain, if a siege is spotted, they cut the lifts.

When Ace started to walk down the massive winding staircase into the city with the others, he felt the brand on his shoulder get hotter. He paid it no mind, thinking it was the fact that it was on him and was just irritation. After they reached the bottom of the staircase they were stopped by guards and had to come up with an excuse for entering the city. "Family business. We're visiting relatives from Nightshade." Ace said. "Of course your city folk. Go on in." The guard said and opened the gate.

They walked through the frosted streets until they found a place they could stay while they search. "I have no idea what we're looking for." Ace thought to himself. They opened the door to the Frosted Jack tavern. The tavern was filled with the sweet aromas of food and drinks. Few patrons at the tables, playing a card game. Pillars of spruce wood were in the center of all the tables and supported the floor above.

Harley strolled up to the bar and said. "A room for 4." And put 25 snowflakes on the counter, snowflakes being the local currency. "Upstairs first room on your right." The bartender said handing them a key and taking the money. As they walked up the stairs Ace asked. "Where'd you get that money?" "The guards were a teensy bit rude so I dished out some punishment." Harley said winking. "God you're so hot right now." Ace said with a growl but quickly apologized, that wasn't like him. "What's up with you lately?" Maya asked. "I don't know." Ace said.

*hours later*

The group got accustomed to the room and everyone but Ace was asleep. He sat at a table in the center of the room. He was slowly drinking a mug of Frosted Duchess, trying to think of why the man had sent him here. The door opened and a woman with light red hair walked in. She was wearing a leather trench coat and her weapon was holstered on her back. A large great sword with a thin jagged blade and a half broken cross guard. Ace paid her no mind and continued to think. He was pulled out of thought when she walked by and the branded started to burn him. When she walked away towards the bar, the brand cooled a little but still stung slightly.

"Hey!" Ace called, for some reason he was feeling cocky. The woman ignored him and sat at the bar. "I'm talking to you." He said as he took a seat next to her. "Leave me be." The woman said. "Not until you answer one question." Ace said. "You'll repay me by answering one of mine." The woman said. "Who are you?" Ace asked. "Burberry… bounty hunter." She said. "Who are you?" The woman asked. "Ace… nobody." Ace said. "You're travelling with three others, from Nightshade aren't you?" The woman asked. "Yeah why?" Ace asked.

"I'm sorry." The woman said. In an instant she had drawn her sword and did a full swipe with the heavy blade and cut deep into the bar. Ace had no idea how he was able to dodge such a quick attack. "Ace. Nightshade citizen. Rider of the Kyuubi. Adrift race champion. The bounty on your head far exceeds others in the past. I hope you put up a good fight." Burberry spoke. "Bring it!" Ace said as he took both knives in his hands.

Burberry cracked her neck and a wave of power surged to the sword. "Stage one. Release." Burberry spoke and the sword started to vibrate rapidly. She quickly slide forward and took a second swipe, cutting the thick pillar like a sawblade. Ace jumped back and started to throw furniture at her. She stood in place and with little to no effort, swung the massive blade through each piece of wood. "What is the bounty on my head?" Ace asked. "100 billion coins." Burberry said. "Damn I might kill myself if I'm able to become that rich." Ace said.

Burberry jumped forward and kicked Ace in the chest, sending him outside. She jumped after him and swung downwards, cutting into the stone and throwing sparks at Ace. Ace kept dodging each and every blow. "Let! Me! Hit! YOU!" Burberry shouted as she swung her blade, having it ring through the air. "Stage Two! Release!" Burberry shouted and her blade started to glow red hot. Ace barely dodged each swipe that seemed to burn the air. On the way up, he remembered Harley mention how the statue in the square couldn't be destroyed no matter what. If you burned through it, the hole would seal almost instantly.

Ace slowly backed up towards the statue as he dodged each swipe. His back was to the statue's base and Burberry was in a craze and she was doing a massive downward slash. He put both knives up to block the blade. The blade started to cut and melt his knives. The great sword was about halfway through the knives entirely when Ace twisted the blades and gained extra grip on the blade of the great sword. He stepped to the side and pulled the sword into the base of the statue. When Burberry couldn't get it unstuck fast enough, he jumped forward and grabbed the handle. He kicked Burberry in the head with the tip of his shoe and pulled back his leg back, ripping Burberry from the sword. She slid across the frosted stone and he grabbed the sword. In one motion he ripped the sword from the base of the statue and threw it. The spinning whirlwind of death hit Burberry in the neck and severed her completely. Her body fell to her knees and fell flat on the ground.

The sword became embedded in the wall behind her and Ace turned to walk away. He heard something behind him and turned around. Burberry's body had grabbed the sword and took a carve at Ace, hitting him in the metal reinforced shoulder. The sword cut straight through the metal and was hitting his flesh. It generated sparks "Branded?" Her body spoke before he kicked her away. He ripped open the coat to see the pentagram had moved from his shoulder to block the attack. Her body bent over and picked up her head and the dismembered head spoke. "Well struck Branded. Tell me how you came to get engrossed in affairs not your own?" Burberry asked as she stuck her head back on its place. "What?" Ace asked. "I know fairly well that you didn't happen to become branded randomly. The brand marks a future legend. Sadly, since I lost… I cannot claim the bounty on your head." Burberry said.

"Why not?" Ace asked. "I haven't had a fight like that in centuries. I swore upon a fair maiden that if I lost a fight in the future, I shant kill them later." Burberry said as her neck reformed.


	13. Chapter 13

"Why not?" Ace asked. "I haven't had a fight like that in centuries. I swore upon a fair maiden that if I lost a fight in the future, I shant kill them later." Burberry said as her neck reformed. "How are you even alive?!" Ace asked. "I've been dead for a long time… I have formaldehyde for blood as a substitute so I don't decay. Don't let it get on or in you in any way…. Won't end well." Burberry said as she picked up her sword. "Why'd you come after me anyway?" Ace asked. "Were you even listening to me earlier? I told you that you have a wicked bounty on your head." Burberry said. "Who put it up?" Ace asked. "Dunno. Did some research though, originated in Hildian." Burberry said.

"Hildian? I don't think I know where that is…" Ace said. Suddenly he felt dizzy and nauseous. He could only watch because he suddenly lost all sense of hearing. Even though he couldn't hear the conversation unfolding before him it was with someone entirely else and Burberry. "Do not give any more information." A voice demanded. "Wha?" Burberry started to ask. "I'm the one who brands legends. The one who writes kings into stone. If you wish to value this man's life… do not give any more information." The voice said. "Oh yeah? Or what?" Burberry asked.

The brand left Ace's body and went to the ground in front of him. A skeleton formed in the star, then flesh. "I doubt you wish to taunt me." Asura spoke. "Like a skinny little shrimp like…" Burberry started to insult but was stopped when Asura, in a pose with his hands behind his back in an instant, moved forward, grabbed her throat, and slammed her into the ground. "Want to finish that sentence?" Asura asked and returning to his pose. "Alright lesson learned." Burberry said with a groan.

"I can grant you a deal in exchange that you tell this man exactly who set the bounty." Asura spoke and a grin appeared on his face. "Oh really?" Burberry asked. "Abigail." Asura spoke slowly. Burberry's eyes widened at the mention of that age old name. "You wouldn't. You can't." Burberry said.

"She misses you, Burberry. She calls to you even from beyond. She wishes to once again feel your loving embrace." Asura spoke, knowing he was hitting a tender spot on Burberry. "I can bring her back, for the simple price of you doing what I ask." Asura smiled. "I accept your deal." Burberry said because she couldn't pass up a chance to get her long gone lover. "Good." Asura said before he disappeared.

Ace woke up later in the tavern room. He looked around and saw the rest of the group waiting for him to wake up. "Finally. We need to start looking around the town as to why the fuck we came here." Shock said bored out of his mind. "No need. I had a little encounter with a hunter last night. A large bounty was placed on me for no reason. Came from somewhere in a place called Hildian." Ace said. "Aw and here I was just getting ready to welcome frostbite." Maya said. "We should probably get going." Ace said.

*Days later*

Ace and his group had left the cold mountain top city of Oxglen. They had anticipated to spend more time looking but the brand seemed to lead them around on a leash. For reasons that she didn't say, Maya returned to Nightshade. Shock had left because he originally only came to warn them about the man following them. It only left Harley and Ace, Burberry was nowhere to be seen after that night in Oxglen. Harley and Ace ventured towards the faraway kingdom of Hildian.

They were making their way through a massive forest. They were running short on food. "I don't think we can go any farther Ace. We don't have that much food left." Harley said. They weren't built for this kind of stuff. Ace was a social recluse who liked reading and Harley was a singer. "We have to continue." Ace said. "Why are we even here?! We're trusting the leadership of a fucking tattoo!" Harley began shouting. "I know how you feel! I don't trust him either! I myself don't know why the fuck I'm even following his lead! It just feels right! If it is true that I'm going to fucking stop some goddamn apocalypse I might as well put some effort to be at least safe than sorry!" Ace yelled. They were angry from being lead on what they called a wild goose chase.

"What's with all that shouting?" A voice asked. Ace and Harley turned to see a middle aged woman in a kimono walking in their direction from the trees. "Visitors?" A second voice asked. "This far out in the woods?" A third voice asked. "Come on don't be shy. Tell us your names." The first woman asked. "My name is Ace and this is Harley." Ace spoke. "As a reward for your honesty, My name's Tao. My sister in the green is Ren. My other sister in the blue is Mai. We are the sisters of the Shuang family."


	14. Chapter 14

Tao was a nice faced Asian woman with long black hair. Ren was a younger aged woman with short brown hair. Mai seemed older than Tao and had long black hair just as Tao. "You both seem famished. Please, follow me ad well feed you back at our household." Mai said. Harley was willing to do anything for a chance with food. "Yes please. Lead the way." Harley said.

Ace and Harley followed these Shuang sisters down a path through the trees. The forests were absolutely beautiful. Large cherry blossom trees, petals constantly giving more beauty to the trees, forest animals could be seen from the trail enjoying life as it is. They came to a wooden bridge that let them cross over the lake and smaller ones around it. The house was a nice sized wooden shack on stilts. Thatch made up the roofing and the windows had bars inside with covers. Tao pushed open the door and Ace and Harley stood in awe. In the center of the room there was a half wall.

You could see over it and at about the halfway point it turned to glass. Inside the glass were amazing hand crafted wooden sculptures. There were ones of cranes, pandas, mountains that over hung houses, bonsai trees, each with almost inhuman amount of detail. In others there were statues made of out multicolored glass. On the walls, large oriental plates with absolutely incredible paintings of dragons, a fan pattern, trees, and animals.

"Please sit down. Food shall be ready shortly." Ren said. Ace, Harley, and Ren all sat down at the table while the older two sisters went to prepare food. "So tell me what's a good looking boy like you doing so far out here with such a pretty girl?" Ren asked. Harley felt something was wrong since they first followed the sisters. Ace hadn't yet realized. "We're heading to Hildian." Ace spoke. Harley thought in her mind "What are you doing?! Something is not right! Don't tell them where we're going!"

"That sounds fun. Why are you going there?" Ren asked. "Personal business." Ace seemed to struggle to say. "Aww come on…" Ren started to say as she scooted closer. "You can tell me." Ren said as she slowly pulled a piece of the kimono away, trying to tempt Ace. "Sadly I can't" Ace struggled to say. Tao and Mai walked into the room both holding large plates of food. Sweet aromas filled the air as they set the food down on the table. The table was covered by cloth that also hid the bottom of it. All five of them sat with their waists under the cloth. The foods they set down were normal cooked fish except they were covered in a sweet sauce. "Itadakimasu!" All three of the sisters said before distributing the food between all five of them.

Ace and Harley hadn't taste food this good ever. Constantly Ren nudged Ace's thigh with her foot. Everyone could see that Harley was eating the food cautiously. "Is there something wrong?" Tao asked. "Nothing just… I'm not feeling well." Harley said. "Would you like to rest here before you continue on your travels?" Mai asked. "No I think we must be going." Harley said. "Nonsense." Ace said. "A nice house, wonderful food, pretty women. They're letting us stay the night. It would only be respectful to agree." "Ace, we really should go." Harley said. "No Ace is right. Allow me to show you to your room for the night." Tao said getting up.

Harley followed Tao into a hallway and to a room with a paper door. Tao opened the door and let Harley into the room. It was a quite homely, a simple mat on the floor was the bed. The same barred window in every other room of the house. "Have a good rest." Tao said as she shut the door. Ace was trying to ignore Ren as she continuously inched closer and closer to a certain area with her foot. "Ren dear I don't think it's nice to…. Pester a guest in such a way." Mai said. "I simply can't help myself." Ren said as she made contact with her target. "Anyway it's time for bed. Ren show Ace to his room for the night." Mai said.

It was now late into the night and Harley built up the courage to look around. She knew something was definitely wrong. She had to get her and Ace out of here and quickly. She walked through the halls in her bare feet, trying to be as quiet as possible. Harley heard faint footsteps around the corner and quickly needed to think of something. Harley quickly started to fidget on the spot as Mai walked around the corner. "Harley my dear? What are you doing up this late?" She asked seeing as Harley looked incredibly uncomfortable. "I need to find the bathroom. Quickly." Harley said. Mai turned and pointed in the direction she came. "Down this hall, third door on the right." Mai said as she walked past Harley.

Harley continued her act until she got to the door. When she was about to go through, to further her act, she heard a door open. She quickly entered the bathroom and closed it to a crack. She watched as Ren left the room Ace was in. Ren made her way down the hall and around the corner.

Harley quickly crept out of bathroom and pushed open the door to see Ace sitting on the bed in a daze. "Ace! Ace!" Harley whispered as she quickly went up to him. Ace had a blank gaze in his eyes and she the shook him to knock him out of it. "Harley! We need to get out of here!" Ace almost screamed. "Shut up you idiot." Harley told him to be quiet. "We have to go. I wanted to leave when you did but for some reason I couldn't say it." Ace said. "A powerful control spell. These sisters probably don't even exist." Harley said.


	15. Chapter 15

"Now that the spell is broken we should be able to see the truth of whatever it is they covered." Harley said. Ace and Harley silently crept through the house. Every single thing was different and not in a good way. The walls were worn and soaked with blood. Ritual candles sat on the floor all along the hallways. If that wasn't enough to make them sick to their stomach, when they entered the room where they had just ate dinner with the sisters there was a ghastly sight. The delicious fish was replaced with human body parts. Eyes, hands, slices of flesh, tongues, and the drinks were now thick blood.

"I think I'm going to puke." Ace said. "The powers of dark magic are scary." Harley said. They opened the front door and were about to run for their lives but had to make a change of plans. Instead of the sister's house being the only one, numerous other shacks with black magic charms hanging from them, surrounded them on all sides. The beautiful forest was now a damp swamp. "We need to get out of here." Ace said. He was truly terrified and so was Harley except she wasn't showing it. An alarm started to sound very loudly. "Shit hide!" Harley exclaimed. Ace and Harley dropped down into the grimy water and hide under the sister's house behind moss.

Every house occupant all ran to the center of the cannibal village on a circular wooden platform. The sisters were the last to come out of the house and Ace and Harley were stunned. The three beautiful Asian sisters were now revealed to be old wrinkled crones. Tao's skin was entirely covered with flesh eating maggots then entered and exited the holes. Mai's face was completely void of skin as if burnt off. What made Ace want to vomit was Ren. Ren's skin was all clawed at and infected, pus spewing out of numerous spots on her body. The youngest sister had not only put a spell on him but she had left her taste in his mouth. Right before Harley entered the room Ren had put a stasis spell on Ace, allowing her to partake in kissing pleasures.

"We have a two runaways! A whore with red hair and a piercing! And a man with the legendary brand! If we find him we will share his glorious flesh! You may do whatever you wish with the whore's body, and we mean anything." Tao said. The cannibals all shouted in a native tongue before running across decks into the surrounding swamp. "Follow my lead." Ace whispered. Ace began whispering to himself and then breathed in. He then kissed Harley on the lips and exhaled. "Go under." Ace said. Harley was blushing, despite the unfolded events.

Ace then closed his right eye and touched the closed eyelid. He then touched Harley's closed eye lid which allowed them both to see much more clearly in the murky water. Ace motioned for her to follow him and he slowly went under the water's surface. They slowly swam through the brown water under the decks. Whenever someone walked across the deck above them, they stopped moving entirely.

Ace and Harley crept for what seemed like hours under the wooden platforms in the murky bloody water. When they finally reached the shore of the swamp, they climbed up the bank and ran quickly into the dense trees. "Run now go." Ace yelled at Harley as they ran for their lives. Ace wanted to go back and kill every single one of the horrible cannibals but was scared. He'd never faced magic as evil as this.

They ran and ran until their legs hurt and then they ran even more. They desperately tried to get away from the sisters and now they thought they were in the clear. Ace turned to say something to Harley but was stopped when a large staff was thrown at his face. The staff his him dead center and flew back into the darkness. Ren then stepped out of the darkness. "Now now. Don't go running away." Ren said. "Get away from me you monster!" Ace yelled brandishing his knives. "Now listen I don't want to eat you. I say you taste way better alive." Ren said licking her scarred lips. "I wanna bring you back, tie you up, and explore each and every thing I can do with you." Ren finished. "Fuck you!" Ace spat back at her. "Well I mean if you insist I'm sure we can…. Work that in somehow." Ren said readying her staff.

Thorn-like extensions protrude in a random pattern along the entire metal staff but has been wrapped in leather with gilded linings. The bottom ends in an elongated marquise shape made of wood and has been decorated with a savagely encased orb that glows even in the darkest darkness. She ran forward and started swinging wildly at Ace.

Ace dodged each attack and blocked a few creating sparks as he fought for his life. Harley burst in with her weapon, a repeater crossbow. She opened a magic portal and brought it out. The front of the cross bow was fashioned in the shape of an eagle's head and the two limbs that branched out were fashioned as wings. Gears rapidly moved to cock back the string as it was reloaded. She threw a storm of bolts at Ren, who spun the staff around faster than she could track and blocked them all. Ace took this moment to start attacking from the right side.

Ren was put into a predicament as she had to block attacks from the left and the right. This continued on for a short time before Ace was getting tired. Ren wasn't fatigued at all. She spun around and hit Ace in the chest, knocking him away towards a tree. She turned and ran towards Harley, who desperately fired the last of her bolts at the crone. Ren blocked them all. Halfway towards Harley, her crossbow made a clicking noise, signaling she was out of bolts.

Ren jumped into the air and readied to slam the sharp thorns of the staff into Harley's body. As she reached her highest point in the air, a chainsaw like noise was heard. Ren's eyes widened as a shape flew through the darkness and swung a blade down against the staff, pushing her down to the earth. Ren landed on her back and quickly rolled away before jumping up. She barely had enough time to block the next attack. The blade seemed to grind away at the metal. "Stage three! Release!" Burberry shouted as the blade kicked into overdrive and cut through the whole staff and the body of Ren in an instant.


	16. Chapter 16

Ren fell to the ground in two separate pieces along with a laugh. Mai and Tao came running. "Mai! Take the whores! The branded is mine!" Tao yelled out as she rushed Ace. She pulled out her katana sword and jumped into the air. She swiped down but right as the blade was about to touch Ace's face, a burst of power erupted through the entire swamp. Tao's sword broke into shards and she was greeted by the entire bottom of a shoe to her jaw. She rose up to the air and looked down to see Ace surging with unholy power. She fell back to the ground and flipped backwards to gain distance from Ace. In an instant he was in front of her. He had both pieces of Ren's cut staff. He hit Tao in the face with the thorns on the staff and they stuck. He shoved a knife down through her right knee and she fell to one knee. He did the same thing with the other knee and when she was on her knees he delivered a kick with the entire bottom of his shoe straight to her face.

She was about to fly back but Ace grabbed her legs and pulled her over him and slammed her into the ground in an arc. He jumped up and landed on her spine and neck with all his weight. He planted one foot on her back and grabbed her head. Her screams of agony ringed through the swamp as he pulled and pulled, tearing the flesh. He tore her head from her body and then turned to Mai, who was paralyzed with fear. "Branded I'm sorry. Please spare me!" Mai begged as she dropped down and knelt on the ground. Ace slowly walked towards her and she visible flinched with each fall of his feet. He stood over her and spoke. "You shall never be forgiven." Mai looked up with tears and fear in her eyes. "Branded plea.. HMM." She was cut off by Ace grabbing her face. "I hope you burn." Ace spoke.

Mai's body began twitching then flames burst out of each hole she had. She jumped up and ran in circles as the inferno engulfed her from the inside. She screamed in agony as she ran. She fell to the ground in a mass of charred bone and ash. Ace didn't say another word but instead turned to the North and kept walking. Harley looked at Burberry, who was stunned by the sudden rise in power. They didn't say anything but instead followed Ace, at a safe distance of course. Ace kept walking, his feet making thuds as he continued his journey. He stopped suddenly, making Burberry grab the handle of her sword just in case. He then clasped both of his hands and raised them into the air.

To Harley and Burberry's surprise, war horse bones rose out of the dirt. The bones rose into the air and formed the shape of living horses, flesh them was made to finalize the construct. "Let's go. We should get close to Hildian in a week." Ace said. "Are you alright?" Burberry asked. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Ace asked. Burberry's eyes widened and she had an annoyed look on her face as she turned around and pointed both arms towards the corpses of the sisters. "That isn't _thaaaat_ bad." Ace said with a smile on his face. He was getting the hand of this power and he knew more was coming his way. They climbed on top of the massive war horses. They all stood a little above seven feet tall and weighed around 3,390 something pounds. They were all shades of brown. They all climbed on and Ace looked at Harley. He stuck out his hand and high fived her and did the same to Burberry. "I'm going to name mine Hazel." Harley said.

The hooves of the war horses rung through the trees they passed by in a blur like thunder. It was a friendly race between the three friends.

*Days later*

"Aw come on. I'm not that lively." Burberry told Ace as they sat around the fire. She was talking about how she acted during the race and making a pun while doing so because she somewhat classified as a zombie. They had made a camp while they rest before they head back on their trip towards Hildian. Ace had tried to call the Kyuubi but it wasn't responding. "Ace I forgot to ask. I heard you had a bike. Where and what is it?" Burberry asked. "Ah the Kyuubi?" Ace asked. "Is that what it's called?" Burberry asked. "Yeah. It's my own custom Archangel, which there are I think around 9 left in the world. If that doesn't make it rare enough. It has the spirit of an actual Kyuubi inside." Ace said. "Bullshit." Harley said sitting forward, same as Burberry. "Swear to god. The skull on the front is the skull of the Kyuubi." Ace said. "How the fuck did you get a Kyuubi to live in a bike?! They're like one of the rarest species left in the world!" Burberry asked.

"It's actually nothing special. I went for a walk outside the city walls to the wilds." Ace started. "Lemme guess that was when you left randomly and I didn't see you for a week." Harley said. "Yeah. Anyway I just kinda walked out in to the woods for some fucking reason, I don't even know myself." Ace began to tell the story.


	17. Chapter 17

"It's actually nothing special. I went for a walk outside the city walls to the wilds." Ace started. "Lemme guess that was when you left randomly and I didn't see you for a week." Harley said. "Yeah. Anyway I just kinda walked out in to the woods for some fucking reason, I don't even know myself." Ace began to tell the story.

Ace walked down the steep hillside, using the trees as platforms to safely navigate down. He looked both directions, left and right, and saw how he was surrounded by nothing but nature. He walked a little further, pushing through the brush, and he stood before a creek. He jumped down to a flat rock and took out his canteen. The waters of the wilds here were so far from civilization that they were good enough to drink. As he filled his canteen he heard a stick snap. He looked up to see a massive black bear lumbering towards the creek to drink. He waved towards it for giggles and the bear just looked at him, snorted, and drank from the water. Ace was wearing a black pair of cargo pants and a black shirt.

In his backpack he had basic survival items. Fire started, compass, food, etc. He had no idea why he wanted to come here. He kept going down into the valley. By the time he reached the bottom of the valley it was night time and he had set up camp. He made a fire and was in the center of a clearing. He sat down and was eating some food when he heard a twig snap from the north. He turned around and pulled out his knife. He stared into the dark abyss, searching for the slightest movement. Another twig snapped from the east, then the west, then the south.

Ace though he was either outnumbered or a very fast creature was stalking him. He though it had to be small creature to move this fast. He was proved wrong when an entire tree was thrown at him. He barley dodged as another was thrown at him. The two trees snuffed his fire and soon darkness enveloped everything. He couldn't see anything. As he watched the darkness he swore he saw a flash of something, like a fang. He readied himself as moonlight started to spread through the valley and lit up him and whatever else just enough to see. A massive nine tailed fox stood before him. Teeth bearing, growling, red eyes full of hatred and lust for destruction.

It started to growl but it was weak and then it spit up some type of liquid. Ace was confused by this and upon closer inspection he realized it was wounded. He sheathed both of his knifes. He cautiously took a step forward then another and another. The kyuubi was growling at him and spitting up a dark substance. It slammed a few of its tails on the ground, an intimidation technique. Ace took another step and was even more confused to realize that there was fear in its eyes. As he got closer, it spit up more of liquid and it landed on Ace's arm. It started to burn and Ace quickly began to try and brush it off.

From what it felt like touching his arm, Ace thought that the fox must be in serious pain if that is coming from inside him. Ace closed the final distance and gently laid his hand on the nose of the Kyuubi and it growled back. The almost black liquid dripped out of the Kyuubi's mouth. Ace held his breath and slowly reached his hand in the Kyuubi's mouth. The liquid started to burn and Ace quickly felt around for something out of place. Although it wasn't like he knew what was out of place in a giant nine tailed fox's mouth. As he felt around he looked up to see the large Kyuubi staring at him. It was weird because from a distance the eyes were a solid orange with the pupil being a yellowish color. In the eye of the fox was a thin layer of black smoke.

He found something that felt like a ball and he tried to grab it. It was covered with the black liquid and was very slippery. He grabbed it with both hands and pulled at it and it didn't budge. He pulled at it again and ripped it from the mouth. He lost grip of it and it flew over him and towards the fire pit. It landed on the embers and bubbled and burnt out.

He looked back at the fox and was started to see it on the ground, weak and panting. It began speaking to him. "Fleshy one. I… thank thee for ceasing my pain. What is thy title?" The fox asked. "Title?" Ace asked. "Name. What is thy name? I wish to thank thee by title." The fox said. "I don't have a name. I go by Ace." Ace said. "Mortal one. Ace, I thank thee for freeing me. I have one last request. I do not want to die. I grant upon thee a vessel. In it is my being. Apply it to a catalyst that I may inhabit. So that I may live on…" The fox spoke before withering away to skin, bone, then ash. The only thing that was left of the skeleton was the skull.

Ace picked up the skull, which was surprisingly more lightweight than he though and he carried it all the way back to the city. He had to slip up the fire escape because, well he came back from a trip to the forest with a giant skull. He was going to find something to fulfill the fox's dying wish. The only reason actually Ace was going to find something was because it was a giant mythical fox and he thought he'd get a reward. He set the skull down on the table and went to bed.


	18. Chapter 18

He finished the story by telling them how the skull now sits on the front of his bike. Burberry took a bite of her food. "Did you ever find out what the thing in foxy's mouth was?" Burberry asked. "Nope it burnt out completely when it hit the fire. I guess that was what killed Kyuubi." Ace said taking a drink. Harley was really quiet this whole night. "Harley? Is something wrong?" Ace asked. "Hmm? Oh its nothing." Harley said. "If you say it is nothing it's definitely something." Burberry said.

"Harley come on. Tell me what's wrong." Ace said. "It's just… what are we going to do? Like when we reach the end of our adventure? Are we going to go on more or are we just going to go back to the old life and await death? I'm loving this new adventure even though there are parts I hate, like the sisters, I don't want to go back to my boring old life. I want to feel the rush and freedom of adventure forever." Harley said. Ace thought for a while, silence only being broken by the cracking of the fire. "I don't know how to respond to that but I'll try. Whether or not we go on more will be a game of chance really. We might not even survive this one. I do like the new pace we're going at as well. As for the rush it truly is something and the freedom of not being burdened." Ace said.

"Well… I guess I can take that answer." Harley said. "What about you Burberry? Why are you coming along with us?" Harley asked. "My own personal reasons." Burberry said. "Naaaah! I thought it was because of how attractive I was that you couldn't get away!" Harley said. Burberry looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You do realize she is a lesbian right?" Ace asked. Harley's face started to grow red and she looked over at Burberry, who teased her by blowing a kiss. "I'm going to bed." Harley said quickly and quickly got in her tent. "Does she like… you know not like… gay people?" Burberry asked. "No she just gets like that when something happens that confuses her. One time Maya, you haven't met her yet, I let her stay at my place and it confuses Harley and pretty much the same thing happened." Ace said. "Does she swing both ways or..?" Burberry asked. "She chased after me for pretty much a year. I never asked if she was into women. Wouldn't mind it though… I think it's pretty hot." Ace said.

"Is that you or the alcohol talking?" Burberry asked. "The alcohol most likely but still it is pretty hot." Ace said then staring into the fire. "Watch it there buddy. If you think any harder, you might start drooling." Burberry said. "Just be glad it isn't something else that's hard." Ace said, making them both laugh. They both looked up at the full moon. "Hey Ace?" Burberry started to ask. "Yeah?" "Is this… what friendship feels like?" Burberry asked. "Yeah… yeah I guess it is." Ace said. Ace turned and looked at Burberry. He watched as he saw how beautiful she looked in the moonlight. She had a slight smile.

"I haven't felt this in so long." Burberry said. "Why is that?" Ace asked. "Like you probably could tell. I've been around for a long long time. In fact, I feel like I've… been here before. But long long ago there was a girl, short with black hair, green eyes, warm heart, beautiful. I met her on a journey of mine, we were heading the same way and went together. Along that journey, I started to fall for her. I never told her because I wanted to be her friend and I didn't want to ruin my chances. I once had a friendly duel with her, thinking I would win because no one had ever beat me before, but she won instead. Anyway, fast forward and I slowly started to sense that there was a massive power in this woman, the woman whom I loved. Later down the line… someone attacked her for this power. I put them down but not before she had sustained lethal injuries. I ran over to her and tried to help her up. There were tears in her eyes as I put pressure on the wound. I tried to lift her up but instead… she kissed me, passionately. I looked at her with wide eyes and her last words were "I love you… and will always." I picked her up and started to run as fast as I could to the nearest town but it was no use. As I ran she fell apart, like glass shard and then burst into a sort of black dust. Then out of the cloud rose a black smoke ghost of her and it flew away into the distance. The only thing I have left of her was a scrap of cloth with seven other people and one other looked like a delicate representation of me, sewn onto it with the words "Never forget." After that I vowed to honor someone who could be me in rightful combat and those with power like hers. Power like yours." Burberry said.

"Like mine?" Ace asked. "Yes, inside you looms a power kind of like hers. I'm going with you for the faint chance I will find something about her. There is basically no chance but still any similarities I will hold on to in hope." Burberry said. "Well I've opened my soul up enough. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning Ace." She said as she got up and went to bed in her tent. Ace sat there, thinking. He couldn't make any sense of anything she had just said but still. A woman with a memoir to never forget and Burberry feels like she has been in this same position before. Ace shrugged it off and kicked back against the tree and soon fell asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

He woke up abruptly to a feeling of dread all around him. He looked around and he was still in the campsite, next to their tents, except everything was drained of color. He opened Harley and Burberry's tents to find them still asleep but stone cold and stiff. He could feel the weight of a spell in the air and he could tell they weren't dead but he was trapped somewhere and nearby was the caster. He looked around and saw a light in the distance of the dark black and white woods. He ran after the light and when he reached it, was stunned at what he saw.

A skeleton sat on a fallen tree and was smiling at Ace. It had two single dot purple pupils in the abyssal eye sockets of its skull. The top left side of the skull was cracked from the socket to the top. He was wearing a black coat with a stuck up collar and he then said. "So this is what Shara wanted me to seek out? Weak." The skeleton dropped down and put both hands behind his back. "I'll make you regret those words if you don't release me wizard!" Ace said. "Let you go? No. You see, I've been ordered to end you and also it's only fair as seeing you ruined my little pet project all those years ago." The skeleton said raising up a familiar black orb.

Ace jumped back for safety. "Oh so you remember what this is? You're smart to want to back up seeing as how I can corrupt even the sacred foxes. Come on then. I have better things to attend to." The skeleton said before holding out both hands in front of him. He then started to rapidly speak in sign language almost. Ace realized he was casting a spell but he had just enough time to run and attack. Ace was countered and knocked back. Ace looked up and saw another hand just floating in the air which was the one that blocked him. Ace figured he could run around it but instead he saw another hand appear, then another, then another, then another.

The skeleton was surrounded by bone hands all rapidly casting a spell with sign language. The hands started to cast spells. Fire, ice, water, lightning, death, force, etc. Ace barley dodged them all as they flew towards him. Ace quickly dodged and tried to run towards the skeleton. The skeleton quickly grabbed Ace with each available hand and held him in the air. "Typical god." He said. Ace was confused when he said god but was returned to reality when all the hands slammed him against the dirt, picked him up, and threw him into the trees.

Ace felt the crushing force of the impact and then quickly looked up, expecting the skeleton to be far away, but instead he was right in front of Ace. The skeleton raised his hands to slam down on the body of Ace. Ace closed his eyes and braced for an impact but was surprised when nothing happened except the noise. He looked up to see the same red haired and green eyes man blocking all the hands with all his force. "Jeez I give you all that power and yet here you are cowering!" Asura said as he pushed away the hands, stab his hand through the skeleton's chest, grabbing something and crushing it, and then kicking the Skeleton back. Asura grabbed Ace by the shoulders and snapped his fingers. Ace looked around to see they were back at the campsite. "From now on actually fight." Asura said as he sat down on a tree stump.

Ace looked over to see Harley and Burberry get out of their tents to see if everything was alright. "Who's this?" Harley asked. "I remember you calling be something like the Phantom man if I'm not mistaken." Asura said as he cracked his knuckles. "Wait so you're the whole reason we're even going on this adventure?!" Harley asked. "As a matter of fact I am." Asura said. "I hope you realize you're going to give answers to out questions right?" Harley asked. "You're in no position to make demands. But fuck it. Fire away." Asura said.

"Who the fuck are you for one?" Harley asked. "Just a friendly traveler." Asura said. "Actually I changed my mind this is really boring." Asura said. Asura pulled out a pouch and took a little yellow cake from it. "Any way. Ace, I got a little secret you need to remember. Orange cakes." Asura spoke before he disappeared. "Orange cakes? The fuck?" Ace said.

Burberry was about to say something but a thundering noise was heard in the distance. "Was wondering where she was." Ace said. He turned to the right to see the lights of Maya's bike getting closer. Maya drove up and then stepped down from her bike. "Ace! Ace Ace Ace!" Maya started yelling. "Jesus! What's wrong?" Ace asked. "My brother! He's alive!"


	20. Chapter 20

Maya, Harley, Ace, and Burberry all sat around the dwindling fire as Maya finished explaining what was going on. "So what your saying is the same guy who branded me and sent me on this journey and who was literally JUST here, gave you an amulet at the masquerade which was your brothers and you then went home just like after Oxglen to try and find out more. Except this time, at home there was a group of like four people, including the red haired guy, who then left all except one, a woman with white hair and she told you about your brother and helped you these past few days to find out where he is?" Ace asked. "Pretty much yeah." Maya said.

"Where is he?" Ace asked. "Well the woman said he was in a massive castle named, Haerton Hold. Which is…" Maya said. "The crimson thorn base?" Ace asked. "Yes." Maya said. "Well it's not every day you get to sneak into a maximum security castle and steal a captive brother so, as they say, there's a time for everything."

"What I see is the red haired one is leading you while the white haired one is leading Maya. Perhaps they're on the same side or rivals? Burberry asked. "Well we can all agree that from how little we've seen the male of the duo, is that he is very powerful. He is hiding it with the best goddamn cloaking spell I've ever felt but still, a massive power that rivals even the three kings is still visible." Harley said.

"The three kings should know about this." Ace said. "I'm not the person to go snitching on someone just because of who they are but he…. He has some dark power." "I'm sorry if I sound stupid here but uhhh… who are the three kings?" Maya asked. "You really don't know who they are?" Burberry asked. Maya nodded nope.

"They three kings are the kings who settled the first three kingdoms. Hearth, Hildian, and Aukhovaria. The kings passed away but their power all went to their heirs and down the family line for a few generations. King Malfrey reigns over Hearth, Heymeri reigns Aukhovaria, and Reiner reigns over Hildian. These sons keep the title of three kings because their great, great grandfathers were so respected. In one on one combat they are insanely good but when they team up they are the most respected, and feared, fighters in all the eight kingdoms." Harley said. "How do you know these things?" Maya asked. "I trained under Malfrey's leading mage." Harley said. "How!?" Maya asked. "When you're desperate. You do things that others wouldn't. I stole a few royal papers and changed the names and they planted them back and in a week I was called to the castle and received training." Harley said.

"Is that how you could tell the sisters spell?" Ace asked. "Yes and with the man's power. Imagine an pebble completely covered with….. moss. That is a shitty example but imagine that was his power. Even though it would be easy to peel off the moss, imagine his being hard steel and me just using my hands. I only opened the tiniest bit of hole in his reserves and that much power was shown. He has much much much more." Harley said. "You do know I'm listening right?" A voice spoke.

Everyone looked up to see the man standing on the vertically tree trunk, any other mortal should have fallen but he was walking on it as if it was the floor. "How do you even..?" Ace asked. "I wouldn't worry on me. If I was you I would worry about the fact that that skeleton is coming back right now so I would kinda run." Asura said shrugging. "What! Shit everyone grab you stuff we need to go!" Ace said jumping up.

Everyone scrambled to get their things and Maya jumped on her bike while everyone else got on the war horses. They all quickly tried to get as far away from the campsite. A white haired woman walked from behind the tree and sat down in Burberry's seat. "Why do you always have to ruin a bonding moment?" Priscilla asked. "Well I'm sorry I'm not made of sugar. Am I not sweet enough for you?" Asura asked. "Well why'd you do it?" Priscilla asked. "Well they're spending so much time just sitting around. It's getting boring. I had to get them moving." Asura said sitting down next to Priscilla. "Is he really coming?" Priscilla asked. "Course not." Asura said taking a bite of a lemon cake.

Maya had set her bike to auto pilot and set it at the same speed as the horses while she looked at the map to try and find the valley where the hold would be. "It's at least a thirty-minute ride to the north east." Maya said. She got off her bike and she jumped on the same horse Ace was on because the rumble bike would give them off. They rode with the horses until they came across a massive sprawling valley and in the center was a large castle with an insane amount of security. The massive castle had high walls with guards patrolling them and with searchlights. The massive castle had large amounts of Thorn members entering and some exiting for smoke breaks. "Looks like an initiation." Burberry said.

They all crawled on their stomachs up to the edge of the cliff to examine the castle and come up with a plan. "Holy. Fucking. Shit." Ace said. "Ditto." Burberry said. "Okay I've got a plan. Burberry and Harley will sit up here and watch for anything if something goes wrong. Maya and I will sneak in, hopefully knock out a group of guards, disguise ourselves, then we'll go into the cells and find her brother." Ace said.

"Are you sure you can handle that?" Harley asked. "Trust me. If something goes wrong, We'll get out of there faster than you can get flustered." Ace said with a chuckle. "We'll watch from here." Burberry said. "Maya, let's go." Ace said.


	21. Chapter 21

They used the cover of the night to slip down the steep slate sides of the valley. The criminal organization had trimmed every tree in the area so it was nothing but open ground when nearing the castle. When they reached the edge of the tree line Ace told Maya to follow each of his moves exactly after he had done them. He left Maya at the tree line and cautiously moved closer to the castle. When a searchlight was about to pass over him he quickly got down and hid behind a rock. The rock was low but wide so he laid on his back and waited for it to pass. After it had passed Ace quickly got up and ran to the wall. He gently put all of his fingertips together and covered them with a type of deterioration magic. It allowed him to break the hard stone wherever his fingers touched allowing him to climb his way up the wall.

He reached the top of the wall and looked left and right and there were at least ten other guards on the wall. He quickly dropped down and crouched in the bottom right corner of the castle wall, behind some crates. He took out his knife and transferred the magic over to it allowing him to cut through the stone like warm butter. He pushed out the stone to create a little crawl way for Maya to get in. When Maya finally got through the hole, Ace closed it back up. After looking from the corner a while, a group of two initiatives passed by and were grabbed by Maya and Ace. Ace stabbed the knife into his victim's throat while Maya choked hers out. When hers was unconscious he slit her throat and they both took the uniforms from them then shoved the bodied into the crates and started to make their way to the front door.

The red and black uniforms allowed them to pass by the other initiatives. They both wore face masks and Maya had her hair tucked uncomfortably inside it as well. They passed by numerous other groups of people that were joining the thorns, who of which were standing or sitting on crates having friendly conversations. When they got in they, at first attempted to go straight for the cells. They were stopped by a large member who told them "Where are you going?" The brute asked. "We're looking for the bathroom." Ace said. "Classic. After you join you'll have all the time to look around. Go into the main room, boss is about to give his speech." The brute said before pushing them through a double door into a large room.

In the room were hundreds of initiatives, all waiting for the boss to initiate them. Thorn banners hung from the wall along with torches. There was a stage on the front of the room lit up by tiki torches and guards. Ace and Harley pushed their way to the front of the crowd and blended in and waited for the speech to start and then be over. "Do you think the actual boss of the Thorns will be here?" Maya asked. "Dunno." Ace said. After a while of standing around uncomfortably, a man stepped out and made his way to the center of the stage. He wore a black trench coat with the bottom tattered along with the color and cuff of the sleeves. He had dark purple hair with light streaks on top and blue eyes. He wore a simple black tank top and dark brown cargo pants.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Whores and Sluts! Step right up, come on don't be shy!" The man spoke with a honeyed and orotund voice. "If you want to work for me! You have to follow my rules! Now I'm not going to lie! We're all here to make a quick buck! But in all honesty it's the happiness of my that gets my ass up each goddamn morning! To other workers! The company is god! I bring that same idea to my humble organization right here! I expect you to do the same! Now there are only two company rules you have to follow! First rule, protect the products! You can fuck them boys but be gentle! Second rule, All profits come to me and me alone! I'm an understanding boss but if you break one of these rules!" The man said before quickly pulling out a revolver and shooting the person directly next to Maya in the head in a second. "I shall have you put through much much worse than that! Alright now enough talk! Those pathetic kingdoms want do destroy my life's work! Show them we mean business!" The boss said and all the guards in the room started shooting their guns in the air.

"Let's go." Ace said. Maya and Ace started searching for the cells and when they finally found them, Maya stood at the hallway entrance while Ace searched each cells. The necklace would tell which person was Maya's brother. About four doors down the amulet started to vibrate and Ace pried open the lock and looked in the darkness to see a shirtless man, beaten and scarred and chained to the wall. Ace quickly ran up and asked "Do you remember this?" Ace said. The man's eyes lit up as he tried to grab the amulet but was chained. "How did you? Give that back!" The man said. "No I'm here to rescue you." Ace said as he pried apart the chains with his knife.

"What's your name?" Ace asked before he pried off the final chain. "Azreal." The man said. "Do you know who Maya is?" Ace asked. "Blue hair. Sister. Raskalova." Azreal said. Ace pried off his chains and carried him to the door way where he told him Maya was at the end of the hallway and started to walk with him. He remembered he had left the amulet on the floor of the cell like an idiot and said he'd be right back and went to get it.

He picked up the silver necklace and turned to walk out the door but heard "Peek a boo mother fucker." Before being knocked out cold.


	22. Chapter 22

Ace woke up to the feeling of wet stone and metal chains. He slowly stirred back to life and looked around the room. "Hey look who's awake." He heard a voice say. Ace looked up at the doorway to see the Crimson Thorn boss leaning against the door frame. "What are you going to do with me?" Ace asked. "Well straight to the point is see. Bypass all the fun… bitch. Anyway I want information." The boss said. "I don't have any." Ace said "No you do have some you just need a little…. Motivation." Ace then muttered something under his breath. "Excuse me what did you say? DO YOU WANT ME TO GUT YOUR ASS LIKE I DID YOUR FRIEND!?" The boss snapped. "What?" Ace asked worrying if he had actually gotten Maya. "Oh I hit a soft spot there huh? Yeah she was a charming thing. Really warm on the inside really… opened up after the first few incisions but hey, corpses don't fight back. HAHAHA" The boss spoke sadistically.

Ace looked away which only seemed to piss off the boss. "Hey look me in the eye." He said. Ace didn't. "HEY LOOK ME IN THE FUCKING EYE!" He yelled and Ace turned to look at him. "You're my bitch. I rule this castle." Ace didn't respond. "Have I failed to entertain you? Is this no longer fun?" The boss asked. "Fuck you." Ace said. "Now if you weren't a little shit maybe I could work that in with a few of the other prisoners. You know how men get when they get depraved." The boss said. "Now speak. Where are the others?" The boss asked. "Others?" Ace played dumb. "We'll have to do this the hard way." The boss said kicking Ace in the right shoulder against the stone.

"Talk." The boss demanded. Ace stayed quiet. He thought "I just have to hold out for the others to come looking for Maya and I." The boss kicked Ace again in the shoulder and still Ace stayed quiet. The boss knelt down and grabbed Ace by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "Listen. I see you're a young man. You've got your whole life ahead of you. I know I've worked up a little bit of a… troubling reputation but you don't have to die here." The boss said. Ace looked up at him and pondered what he'd just said. Ace spit in his face.

"Never mind. I don't think anyone will miss a piece of shit like you." The boss said before getting up and opening the door. "I want everyone to hear this." The boss said before getting a running start and using all the force to kick Ace straight in the face. "AGH FUUUCK!" Ace cried in pain, wanting to hold his face in pain. "The sooner you be a good a little boy the sooner you die." The boss said. He reeled back and hit Ace straight in the jaw with full force.

The boss left the room and came back with a chair which he put in the center of the room and sat down. "Talk." The boss demanded. "Fuck. You." Ace said. The boss got up and spun around in a kick, hitting Ace in the jaw with his boot. The branded stopped this attack which was more of a bad thing than a good thing. "The brand? Oh my god this is perfect! I have a legend in the making as my personal bitch!" The boss said. A person came and stood in the doorway and said. "Shara. A man with a white mask is here to see you discussing about a change of ownership with the skeleton." The person said.

Shara turned back to Ace and said. "Well we'll have to cut this short but I'll be back. In fact, I've enjoyed our moment so much… I want to keep a piece of you to remember this touching bonding time." Shara then took out a wire speculum and grabbing Ace's face. Ace knew exactly what he was going to do and started to fight back. He bit Shara's hand which only pissed him off and Shara grabbed his face and Ace shut his eyes but that didn't work. Shara shoved the speculum inside and pried open his right eye.

Ace's blue eyes fill with fear as Shara then took a scalpel and slowly brought it closer and closer to Ace's eye. Ace tried to writhe away but Shara snapped his fingers and four henchmen came through the door. "Hold him." Shara said. They all held Ace so powerfully that he couldn't move at all and could only watch as Shara brought the scalpel closer and closer. "Aw come on don't look at me with those eyes. I'll cut you down, make you holy, break your mind, you'll join me soon enough.

Shara shoved the scalpel inside, not being gentle and in a quick motion had severed the optic nerve and Ace lost all sight in his right eye. He cried in pain and could see with his left eye, Shara hold it up in his fingers. Shara took a medical bandage and shoved it in the now open eye socket and ripped the speculum away. "Watch him. I'll finish up tomorrow." Shara said as he left the room. The entire night Ace thought this was the end, the others couldn't risk coming for him. He accepted his fate and awaited it in the cold cell.

He was in a state of sleep, the guards outside his cell, when he started to here scraping. He slowly raised his head and looked around, trying to find out where it was coming from. He had to get used to his wounded self, having to look from one eye. He felt his right arm drop and fall to the ground and looked to see the stone, where the cuff, was removed. The stone where the left cuff was fell to the ground and he slowly turned around to see a familiar blade sawing through the stone. "Ace?" Burberry asked. "Help me." Ace said. He needed to get out of here. He wanted to get out of here.

Burberry cut through the stone and opened a small crawl way and Ace crawled out. The bandage was ripped out by one of the guards previously and when he weakly stood up Burberry was shocked. "Ace? What happened?" Burberry asked. "Thorn boss took it." Ace said. Burberry ripped a long strip of cloth from her outfit and made a makeshift eye patch. "Come on. Let's get out of here quickly." Burberry said. "I'll keep an eye out." Ace said with a small smile. "I have half a mind to leave you here for that." Burberry said. "Please no. I'm sorry." Ace said.


	23. Chapter 23

As Ace was helped out of the hold by Burberry he started to have a flashback, He thought it must have happened when he was in chains. He hung his head down in pain and he heard a small laugh. He looked up to see the red haired man standing there. "Why are you here?" Ace asked weakly. "I've come to explain a few things." Asura said. Asura knelt down and lifted Ace's face gently by his chin. "Let's start with what's happened. You risked your life to save Maya's lost brother and in turn you were captured. But now is where we shall… unveil the grand scheme. Take a guess." Asura said. "I don't know. Get me out of here." Ace said. "Can't do that. That man, Shara, is the leader of the largest criminal organization but there's a reason he should have killed you outright. He's scared of you. He knows the power of the brand and thus wants to end you. But there is also a reason why he hasn't killed you." Asura said.

"Why is that?" Ace asked. "You won't believe me but… he wants you to join him, not as a grunt, as a leader like him." Asura said. "Why would he want that?" Ace asked. "You know your _father_ Alvar? He had two children." Asura said. Ace's eyes widened at those words. "You mean…?" Ace asked. "Yes. He is your long lost brother. He wants to break you, make you join him, and use the power of the brand. Just as Harley said when you are desperate you do things others wouldn't. Anywhat when you were young, Alvar left and took Shara while leaving you with your mother. Alvar was taken from him and in an effort to get him back one thing lead to another and he was drawn in with the Hazlevale family." Asura said.

"Get me out of here. Please." Ace begged. "Now actually hearing that hurts me because I actually want to but can't. As cold as my heart is I actually want to but can't." Asura said. "Why? Get me out please." Ace asked. "If you were to leave right now there is a 75 percent chance you would be kill before you could leave the compound. If you did get out, Shara would hunt you down and then that would lead to a one sided battle where everyone you've been travelling with would be slaughtered and then he'd save you for last." Asura said. Ace slowly slumped back down against the wall. He wanted to get away but he had seen how large the forces were here and he would take a few extra torture events if it meant his friends would be safe. "Anywhat I honestly thought you'd last longer which is why I told you orange cakes. There's a safe which had a few baubles and the code was orange cakes. The security question was either, the best cakes, which was orange cakes, or the worst, which was lemon. Piece of shit doesn't know what cakes are the best." Asura said as he took a bite of a lemon cake.

"Any way when you do get out of here, head to Hildian quickly. Shara should start attacking in about… 3 hours." Asura said. "See you around." Asura said as he disappeared. Ace snapped back into reality and quickly grabbed Burberry's arm. "Wait. Maya. We need to go back." Ace said. "What? Why?" Burberry asked. "Maya's back there. We have to go back." Ace said. "No she isn't. She came back earlier with her brother without you and we came and got you. Although it seems it was a little too late." Burberry said. "But he said she was…" Ace started to say as he and Burberry got at their camp.

Everyone ran up to Ace and Burberry when they saw dried blood on his face coming from the eyepatch. "Ace! What happened!?" Maya asked. "Well if you are going to be surprised I _retina_ this will be going on for a while." Ace said. "He's fine." Harley said. "I just did it to break the _eyes_." Ace said. "Please stop." Maya asked. "I'm a master of puns. You're just a _pupil_ of the trade." Ace said. Burberry let him go and he dropped to the floor." Owwww." Ace said. "That was so _cornea_." Azreal said. "Thaaank you." Ace said.

Harley picked him up and sat him down on the ground against a tree and Maya came over and knelt down in front of him. Scars now made their home on his body and the dried blood caked under his eye. He was a sight for the worst and nearly two weeks ago he was living peacefully at home. Maya cautiously reached up and untied the makeshift eyepatch. "My god…" Maya said. "Ace…" Harley said as they were greeted by the empty eye socket. "Is it that bad?" Ace asked. "Are you alright?" Maya asked. "I'm fine. Just glad you're alright." Ace said.

As everyone took in the sight of the wounded Ace, silence endured. Ace broke it by asking. "You know what's funny?" "What?" Harley asked. "Not even a few weeks ago I would have never though this could have happened. In such a short span I've met fantastic friends. Maya, Burberry, and even you Harley. I used to be so distant from everyone. I would go to school, come home, go to bed. But now I've become champion racer, attended a royal masquerade, bedded a princess, received power that's taken me this far, traveled not only to a lovely snow city but also to a swamp where we were nearly eaten. I've infiltrated a maximum security castle, saved Maya's brother, tortured by my own brother." Ace said then got quiet.

"Wait what? Your brother?" Burberry asked. "Turns out… the leader of the Thorns is my long lost brother. That's why he didn't kill me." Ace said. "I would explain but I don't have the time to explain. We need to get to Hildian quickly. He'll be attacking there shortly." Ace said standing up. As Ace got up another thundering sound was heard and soon the Kyuubi tore through the trees. "Let's get moving. I have a feeling that this will be the nearing the end of our road." Ace said as he climbed on.

It was early morning and the group was racing through the trees to get to Hildian to stop the invasion. The rumble of the Archangels made morning dew fall. Maya drove hers with Azreal holding on to her waste and they were talking to each other about themselves because they had barely known each other. Burberry held onto one of the horns of the Kyuubi and Harley rode in the second seat.


	24. Chapter 24

When they burst out of the tree line and neared the city they realized they were too late. They arrived from the North east but from the South East, an army pushed against the city with overwhelming forces, nearly ten times the kingdoms armies themselves. "This can't be real." Ace said as he drove towards the cities wall.

The sounds of clashing metal and screams fills the air. The farm field is littered with wounded fighters, gore and weapons. Red, brown and gray are the new colors of what was once a serene farm field, which has now become the stage of a cruel war. The air which was filled with the sounds of playing children and small rivers and nature's wildlife is now heavy with the screams of dying fighters and the scent of their blood, the mere sense of it will make you want to run. An army of Thorn mercenaries and an army of HIldian knights fight each other. The Thorns for domination and the Knights for survival. It is an all-out blood bath, but the victor is obvious. The dead of the losing side lay in large groups across the farm field and the faces of the fighters are grim with pain and horror, they continue to fight, but their fight is a hopeless one. With victory becoming more and more likely the winning side fights even harder and with more tenacity. Some have succumbed to fatigue and are doing all they can to force their body in motion, while others long for the end of this battle. The toll on both nature and humanity is tragic. It'll likely take decades before this farm field will have recovered. It's clear metal, gore and blood have taken the place of plants, trees and bushes.

Ace and the others watched as they drove towards the cities walls, the insane amount of Thorns swarm out of the trees. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands. "How are there so many?" Harley asked as they reached the walls. Ace and Maya parked their archangels atop the walls and Ace quickly came up with a plan. "Maya and Azreal go tell the king we're here to help! Burberry take the far right! Harley and take the left! I got the center!" Ace said as he ran and jumped off the city wall.

As he fell down to the ground he saw a familiar shape in the distance. The same red haired man stepped out of a black portal along with six others. A woman with white hair, one with red hair, two men each having light and dark blue hair, a woman with purple hair, and a smaller girl with black tentacles. "Let's have some fun!" Asura spoke and they all spit up. Asura stood there watching as Ace ran up. "There you are! Thought you'd miss the show!" Asura yelled, excited for the upcoming battle. They both took off running and began their attack on the Thorn forces.

They both combined attacks with precision which only amplified their power. Asura tore through hordes of mercenaries with his bare hands while Ace sliced and diced them with his knives. Ace turned to see Asura running towards him and he put his hands out. Asura planted his foot in Ace's palms and Ace threw him high into the air. Asura did a backflip and then put his hands close together and slammed into the ground, creating a shockwave that annihilated the enemy forces. Ace quickly tied both four of the knives. Two to his hands and two to his ankles. He used this to reach enemies farther away.

Ace looked to the right to see Burberry sawing through a squadron of soldiers next to the purple haired woman who seemed to maneuver a purple gas the seemed to melt the Thorns. Next to them were the two men who tied their magic together to form a lightning cyclone that sucked and crushed the Thorns. To the left, the crimson haired woman masterfully cut down numerous forces with her great sword, dodging each attack, parrying others, laying waste to everything. Next to her was the white haired woman who summoned blades off solid ice and rained them down on the Thorns.

He was snapped out of observation when a massive armored giant stepped over above him. The giant had two horns that twisted towards the sky and two others that left from where the eyebrows would be. It was covered in a black iron armor that had a skull etched out in the center. "WOOHOO ARMADA GRACES THE BATTLEFIELD!" Asura yelled as he clapped as the giant started to slice against the Thorns with two blades on the gauntlets. "Armada?" Ace asked himself but Asura over heard him. "It's just Nadalia. It nothing but her controlling a massive hunk of metal but it might just be the sexiest goddamn things I've ever seen." Asura said.

They all defended against the Thorns but they never seemed to end. They continued to pour out of the trees endlessly. A foghorn was heard in the distance and Asura snapped his fingers. Which signaled all the other six to solely focus on the Thorn forces on the ground. An airship with the Thorn banners hanging off graced the battlefield. A ring was heard which meant the speakers of the ship turned on. "Well well if this isn't such a pleasant surprise. My toys right here, no need to go looking for it." Shara spoke through the speakers. "Fuck you!" Ace yelled back.

All the Thorn forces stopped and gathered at the tree line and Shara jumped from the airship to the ground. "There's nothing you can do to stop me brother! I'm giving you one last chance to join me or join the others writhing in the dirt as the filth you mortals are!" Shara yelled. "We're the same race! Don't ace like your something different!" Ace yelled back. "I am something different! Something much more powerful than you!" Shara yelled as he raised both hands into the air.

The Thorn members seemed to double, then triple, then quadruple. "I have stolen the gift of freedom! Stole it from time him fucking self! The Thorns will stand forever! There is nothing you can do to stop me!" Shara yelled and then laughed like a madman. He then dropped his hands and all the Thorn member's heads snapped and they were dragged to in front of him, forming a pile of dead bodies. "But first! I want you all to myself!" Shara said.

"Why are you doing?!" Ace demanded. "I'll tell you why! Envy is everywhere! I embody that Envy! Animals envy man for being man! A pauper envies a lord whom is of high esteem and rich! A lord envies a king who commands armies and rules over a kingdom! A king envies a god whom all men must bend knee! A god envies what a god can never have! To be born of the light! I envy a single god! That one right fucking next to you!" Shara said. Ace turned to see Asura standing there, hands in his pockets, smiling at Shara. "He's the one who's done wrong here! That… that filth! Needs to be cut down and made holy. The good die and the cruel live! That's how he's made this world! Join me and we'll destroy his flawed world and him along with it!" Shara said.

Ace turned to Asura and started to step back. Asura snapped his fingers and removed his power from hiding. It was like nothing Ace had even fathomed of existing. A tidal wave of blood lust and want of destruction covered the battlefield. It drained all life from everything around him. Grass, trees, even the sky itself and the battlefield was plunged into darkness, lit up by the sky holding a cluster of crimson moons. "Some say my work is flawed. But their train of though is what's flawed!" Asura spoke. "I doubt he's even told you the whole story! He's known for back stabbing!" Shara yelled. "Me and you Ace, are brothers of the same blood. Our father, that _Alvar_ wasn't even our father! Our true father is that monster standing next to!" Shara yelled. Ace turned to Asura who continued to smile at Shara. "He bedded a mortal woman, our mother, after a night of drinking. We are of unholy blood and we have him to blame! I demand compensation for his acts! We should be the ones on his throne!" Shara said.

"Well play times over. Time for you two boys to settle this." Asura spoke. "I leave it up to you." He said as the moons seemed to liquidated and drip from the sky. The drops landed on Ace, which imbued him with more power. A golden smoke rose from the ground and a spirit appeared in the shape of a man. The man flew around Ace before entering his body. The combination of Asura's power and this spirit finalized Ace's rise in power to the title of, Husk of Judgement incarnate. Asura decided to have a little fun and snapped his fingers to expand Ace's physical body to the size of a giant. Shara, seeing this, retaliated with his own surge of power and also growing in size.

"So Ace! Answer me will you join me!? Cast down the false gods!?" Shara demanded. "Shara! You've ravished countless cities! Crushed our homes! And destroyed countless lives! The atrocities you've committed against the mortals are abhorrent and unforgivable and demand swift sovereign justice! You've cast a thousand sins and one! You play god but you're no deity! But because you are my brother! I am issuing one final warning to you Shara! Leave this place… or die!" Ace spoke, standing his ground. "

"Bring it motherfucker! There's no difference between me and you! I still have an ace up my sleeve!" Shara yelled before charging towards Ace. Ace charged as well and met him with a running punch. Shara didn't even recoil in pain but instead attacked with a knee to the chest. Ace quickly kicked Shara in the side of the face and punched him in the chest. All the others, including Asura and the other six were watching from the city wall. They were astonished something that big could move that fast. After throwing attacks back and forth at each other, Ace grabbed both of Shara's wrist and did a headbutt that echoed throughout the open field, then another before reeling back and punching Shara in the face.

Shara quickly jumped back up and kicked Ace in the jaw, sending his massive body into the air. When he came back down, Shara kicked him in between the shoulder blades and sent him flying towards the city. Ace hit the wall right next to the others and got up and started to charge Shara. Shara tried to grab Ace but he dodged underneath his arms and was now behind him. He slammed his fist into Shara's back and then picked him up and held him against his chest by the bottom of his thighs. He then threw Shara into the air and jumped up with him. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him back down against the earth.

Shara quickly put his legs up as he hit the earth and pushed himself up with his hands, kicking Ace in the stomach. Ace flew backwards but caught himself on the ground. He looked up and barley dodged a running kick from Shara. Ace jumped up and grabbed Shara from behind again. This time he put an arm up underneath Shara's and the other arm around Shara's neck before lifting him up, spinning, and slamming his face against the city wall. Shara held his face in pain and slowly got up and turned to see Ace mid punch. Shara blocked and pushed it away and then grabbed Ace by the throat with both hands. He pulled Ace down to the ground so hard he bounced back up and then jumped up to drop down with all his weight on Ace's back.

Shara grabbed Ace by the throat again and picked him up. He then punched him three times in the ribs and lifted him higher and slammed him down into the city wall. Ace quickly got up and kicked Shara's feet out from under him. He jumped over Shara and grabbed both arms and led them behind Shara's back as if held by handcuffs. He lifted him up off the ground high into the air before falling backwards, slamming Shara down on his neck resulting in a snap that even the group heard.

Shara slowly got up and punched Ace in the face with his right hand, then the left, and then upper cut him which made Ace fall to his knees. Shara grabbed him by his hair and lifted him off the ground, reeled back and punched Ace straight in the face. Ace landed on his feet and counted Shara's next punch and countered with his own straight to Shara's face. Shara turned around in pain which allowed Ace to punch him in the right kidney. He then reeled back and punched him in the back of the head, then reeled back even more before punching him straight in the tail bone. Ace grabbed him by the underside of his fore arms and lifted him up. He then kneed him in the tail bone before jumping into the air and slamming Shara down into the earth.

He then turned Shara around and punched him straight in the face, leaned all the way back and head butted him so hard Shara. He picked Shara up and put Shara's head underneath his left arm and bent him backwards, then elbowing him in the ribs and kneeing him in the back. He grabbed Shara by the throat and choke slammed him into the ground so that he bounced back up and grabbed the back of his neck and choke slammed him again into the city wall. Shara was completely out for the count after this and Ace decided he'd finish this.

He lifted Shara up and then kicked him in the ribs which made Shara step back. Ace ran and jumped up and planted his foot on Shara's right shoulder and jumped into the air and show boated by spinning around before falling back down and before he hit the ground, grabbed Shara's head with his feet and lifted him over himself and slammed him back to the Earth. Ace now stood with Shara's head between his feet and turned to look at the others looking on in awe. He stared at Asura before twisting his legs and snapping Shara's neck completely, killing him. "The difference between me and you is that I'm still standing bitch!" Ace said triumphantly.

The power of Shara needed a husk to manifest and tried to connect with Ace which ended very badly. The combination of three different powers was too much for Ace's physical body. The overwhelming power caused his body to overload and the powers ended up destroying him. The power deteriorated his very and he exploded to a combination of Red, gold, and green ash. He woke up again in the same sea of red roses.


	25. Chapter 25

"They were called back to the faraway kingdom of Hildian, and had to listen as the king paid respects to all the people who died during the fight, and they listened to when he came to your name. "I would like to pay respects to another man as well." The king said. "A man who willingly gave his life for our kingdom, a one which he wasn't a citizen of. These people were this man's close friends. They also fought valiantly to protect our blessed kingdom… at the cost of this man's life." At those words, your friends realized that it was true. This wasn't a dream. You were gone forever. This was a nightmare. "The man didn't even know his own name. He fought the leader of the Crimson Thorns in one on one combat. I will say this though. Ace was a hero. If he hadn't had put an end to their plans, we would surely have succumbed to their overwhelming forces."

"From here on out, Harley, the red headed singer, cursed herself as she stared into the mirror with quivering lips and leaking eyes, for not being able to save you but then again what could she do to stop a god's power. She throws up because she's crying so hard because she lost a dear friend. No matter how much she tried she couldn't play in her band."

"Burberry, the bounty hunter, took numerous jobs that were in faraway countries just to get away from the silence of the house when you'd normally be up at the ungodly hours of the night. Even though she is miles and miles away from your home, her eyes will never stop mirroring the image of your finale smile. She will return to your grave at random times. Half the time she wants to take whatever they could recover, take you to a necromancer and revive you, even be as a vegetable. The other half she respects you too much, and doesn't want you to live like her and have to watch all of your loved ones pass."

"Shock, The Balthazar racer, will shed a tear every single time he see's anything relating to you. He's holding more tears back. He wishes that you were still breathing and that you could race him again. You'd both tell each other terrible jokes with Maya. He will try racing to take back his title but no matter how hard he tries he always remembers the rush you gave him at the Adrift race and loses. At the funeral, there wasn't a single thing to bury. After the funeral, they all sat in your apartment, staring blankly at each other because god knows they couldn't think of anything to say that didn't just float through the air where you should have been."

"Ashlotte, the Hazlevale Princess, will go into your room and clench your jacket sadly. She will lay on your bed and cry as she holds your jacket to her face, desperately trying to remember your natural scent. She'll then sleep in your bed trying to imprint your scent on herself before the guards come and escort her back. She barely knew you from the start but now she misses you like a brother."

"Maya, the ex-husk of music incarnate, sits on your Archangel, remembering the fun times you had. She remembers the face you always had on when you drove with or against her. She doesn't dare start it due to the fact that Kyuubi will rebel against her, though she desperately wants to. She hates that she never got to repay you for the kindness you showed her."

"Selles, the man who cared for you after your mother died, will let Maya stay at your apartment out of respect and sadness for you. Azreal, the brother of Maya, will honor you and forever thank you for taking his place in the dark dungeon cell while he escaped even though it cost you a part of your sight. He wishes to one day have the courage you did. The same courage that allowed you to want to sneak into the ranks of the Thorns and risk your life for him."

"Why didn't you tell me your power could kill me?!" "Now Ace. I would like to say I never saw this coming but I have. It's simply weaved into time's cards." Asura said. "What?" Ace asked. "This has all happened before. Not detail for detail, but it's happened before. When you received my power, you receive my memories of this life. My sister and I create seven others. We create a world, create humans, humans and us live together in harmony, humans forget their roots, humans wage war on each other, humans wage war on us, we kill the world. We make the universe, time passes, I have two children, maybe two boys, maybe two girls, maybe one of each. One child corrupts and misuses power, the other child puts the other down, child gains my power, child becomes titled the branded husk. I have branded others but that's my own choosing. The fact that YOU were branded is embedded in time. Then more time passes and in the future events unfold, something happens that I probably could have stopped, I lose control, I kill the remaining members of my family. I live in solitude, waiting the end of time, then everything resets. It's happened countless times and yet… here we are."

"You gave your life so they could continue theirs and that is one of the highest sacrifices. I gave you my power to get you to the battle of the ages but now is the choice that will change your road… forever. I offer you a second chance though Ace. A chance to make everything right again. Take up the reigns of the power that was misused and use it for good. Go back to living as the husk of Judgement incarnate. The other choice is that you end it here and wait for the end of time among this sea of flowers. What do you say?" Asura asked. "You will die in time. You'll live far far longer than a mortal but you shall wither and die in time. You shant be immortal just, in my words, very fucking durable."

I accept. Ace said. In a blinding purple light, Ace felt warm. He opened his eyes and he was back in his bedroom. He opened the door and stepped out into the living room. Everyone was out of it, either with their faces in their hands or looking at the floor. The atmosphere of the room felt so sad. "Hey guys." Ace said getting their attention. They all turned around and their faces lit up. They were so happy that he was here that they didn't care how. They almost didn't believe it. "I missed you guys." Ace said, as a tear rolled down his cheek.

*years later*

Ace had become a legend, working his way up the ranks and soon leading enough people to form a small city. Many people though he would fail, not trusting the authenticity of the brand. They were wrong and were told so as word reached them of a new found kingdom of sands. Latoiabridge. He stood on the balcony, addressing the citizens of how proud he is that he was able to do this and solemnly swears that peace will reign in this city. Maya was now the nations army general in case something happens. Harley had left to go back to Nightshade to get her things then she'd come back to live in Latoiabridge. Burberry still operated as a bounty hunter and was the best in the business. Ashlotte serves as the holder of the pact of friendship between the Hazlevale royal family and the Latoiabridge kingdom. Azreal serves beside Maya as a general. Shock respected Ace, deeply in fact, but had no interest in joining a kingdom. Ace respected his decision and told him he was always welcome. The last time Ace heard about him was when word of a new champion racer with a metal arm graced the city of Hildian.

*a few years later*

Ace had just returned to his bed chambers after a long council meeting discussing the embassies in neighboring kingdoms. He was tired, very tired. He closed the doors to his room and walked towards the balcony. He stood on the balcony, overlooking the moonlit sands and the lanterns lighting up his glorious kingdom. "Finally. Secretly, all my life I wanted to leave a mark on the world. It didn't matter if it was a small insignificant mark, as long as there was a mark." Ace said proud of what he'd been able to accomplish. The brand's power had begun to diminish and his powers as judgement were growing as a result.

"I need to get some rest." Ace said because tomorrow was the day he had all planned to spend time with the people who got him to where he is now. He'd spend time with Harley, treat her to what she enjoys. Spend time with Maya and Azreal, rewarding them for their friendship. Burberry couldn't make it. Ashlotte was more than willing to visit him. He though life couldn't get any better.

Then… … … it was all ripped away. He looked down at his chest to see a metal blade jutting out from his chest, straight through his heart. This blade surely wasn't a normal blade as the events that occurred after detail. A hand grasped his shoulder and the blade was stabbed multiple times in the same spot, making sure he wouldn't get up after. The assassin turned him around so he could see his face. Ace's eyes widened as he saw a face he'd never expect to see again. It was the face of his brother, Shara.

Ace fell to the floor and thought "Everything is so sticky and warm and soaked in red. It feels so heavy, but where's the pain? I don't feel any pain. Will I be alright? Will I make it out alive? But, this is my blood. Will this just end already? I'm exhausted. I'm dying and I know it. I'm lying in my own blood, waiting for my own end. Will it just end already? I can't take this anymore, somebody find me already, please! Aah, this is driving me insane. I can't. Somebody... I don't want to die, please help. I can't do this on my own, I'm too weak, I'm too broken. I'm so exhausted, I'm so weak. I can't lift my arms; I can't even move my feet. I just want to sleep and wake up in my own bed, leave all of this behind as a mere nightmare. But I can't. I can't escape and I can't sleep, if I sleep I die. Somebody find me please, I can't sleep, but I can still escape. It's getting cold, really cold. My body shivers, I can't help it. I don't think I've ever felt this cold. Harley…" Ace cried out softly. "Azreal…. Burberry…. Shock…. Ashlotte… Maya…. I'm sorry…. I'm… so…. sorry."

His brother knelt down looked him the eye and smiled "Like I said, I still had an ace up my sleeve."


	26. Chapter 26

Ace's eyes quickly shot open and he looked around and he was standing in an endless field with a single crystal clear river, under a perfectly clear sky. "What? Is this heaven?" Ace asked himself. He looked around and there was nothing to see in any direction. A sound startled Ace and he whipped around. Seven portals opened and through them dropped Asura and his Aspects. None of them landed on their feet. "Oi The fuck!?" Conrad yelled. "Shut it." Aleksander said. "Brotherly love at its finest eh love?" Nadalia asked anyone. They all got up to their feet and dusted themselves off except for Asura who rolled over on the ground and tried to go back to sleep. "Come on Asura get up." Priscilla told him. Asura acted like a child and replied with "No… fine more minutes." Priscilla leaned in and whispered "If you get up I'll promise you something _special_ later." With that Asura quickly jumped "I'm up! Let's go!"

Asura turned to looked around and, same as everyone else, was confused. He was surprised to see Ace after all these years. "Ace? My boy! How's it going?" He asked with a high five. "Oh you know, started a kingdom, had fun, got murdered. Basic shit." Ace said. "Murdered?" Asura asked. "Yeah. It was strange because it wasn't a normal person it was Shara." Ace said. "Shara? Hmm. If he came back it wasn't something normal. After his power left him he should have stayed dead." Asura said.

"Anywhat let's see where the hell we are. Conrad?" Asura asked. "On it." Conrad said then sticking an open palm in the air. "Honestly I don't have a fucking clue." Conrad said. "God so useful." Asura joked. "Fight me." Conrad spit back. "Well the only thing here is the river so why don't we try there?" Athena said. Ace observed them as they all casually walked over to the river. "So these are gods? They seem like normal people to me. I will say though white head's not bad to look at." Ace thought to himself. "That's no way to talk about your mother." Priscilla said to Ace through thought. "What?!" Ace yelled in his head as he walked with them as if nothing was wrong.

"You shouldn't be aweing in your mother's figure. If you want some, how should I say it? Tension release? Yes that's it. Go talk with Selena." Priscilla said to him telepathically. "Sorry." Ace said. "You can't really be held accountable. You didn't know I was your mother. I'll take your previous thoughts as a compliment though. Just be careful of what roams in that head of yours." Priscilla said.

"It definitely isn't water." Asura said. "How can you tell?" Ace asked. "It's thick… like slush maybe? Cold as well." Asura said. "I've finished scanning the area." Conrad said. "Well?" Asura asked. "We aren't even in our plane of existence anymore." Conrad said. "Might take a while to get back, even if we could." "Damn. Game of Thrones is on tonight as well. Whoever is the mother fucker who brought us here better have a good reason." Asura said. They looked around for anything that could help them get out of here but then Asura's attention turned to the sky almost. He squinted his eyes and realized something was flying towards them.

Asura realized Selena was directly in line with the object and he jumped to action. Right before the flying object crashed into her he jumped over and tackled her out of harm's way and succeeded but ended up laying on top of her. "Oh here of all places? Such a dirty man you are." Selena said in a sultry tone. "You wish." Asura said getting up. Asura and everyone else turned to look at what hit the ground. It turned out to be something resembling a stone tablet.

"Why the fuck would that fly at us?" Athena asked as she ripped it from the ground. "Dunno love. Gotta have some use." Nadalia said. Asura grabbed it and saw it had writing on it. Asura began to read it and looked to have some trouble with it. "Does he not know how to read?" Ace asked quietly as he stood next to Athena. Athena began laughing and then playfully punched Ace's shoulder and it knocked him off his feet. "Oops sorry!" Athena said as she lifted him back up. "Guess I don't know my own strength. Asura what does it say?" She asked. "I can read it perfectly mind you. As for what it means I'm trouble understanding. Drown the sinner in the river and let their soul be delivered." Asura said. "Well surely there is a mistake. I know for a fact we've all sinned… just look at Conrad." Athena joked. "Oh come on, Selena is standing right there!" Conrad yelled. "Well I'll admit I've sinned more than any of you. So guess I'm swimming." Asura said as he stepped to the water's edge.

He put one foot over and then leaned forward until he fell in. The thick slush enveloped him and he swam around. "Holy fuck it's cold!" Asura said as he brought his head up. "So do we all go in? We can all hold out breaths for a while. Don't know about your kin though." Nadalia asked. "Fuck it jump in." Asura said. Pretty much everyone shrugged and jumped in except Ace and Selena. "Come on boy… oh I see you want a woman to show you how to do it properly right?~" Selena asked. "What? No! I'm just stunned at how easy going it seems you people are." Ace said as he jumped in.

He began to swim after the others who were swimming to the bottom of the river. Ace was slowly beginning to suffocate as they continued swimming. He swam as fast as he could after them and when he finally got to them, burst through the water and took a big breath. "Oh god. Oh fuck. I'm fine." Ace said as he then opened his eyes and looked around. All the others were climbing up on what seemed like another shore.


	27. Chapter 27

"What the fuck?" Asura asked. "Can't see a fucking thing." Priscilla said. Frankly she was right, when they stepped out they were standing in a thick mist. The mist was warm and felt more like steam. They kept walking forwards for a short time before the steam finally let up and they could see clearly now.

They were standing on a massive cliff. Below it there was an endless ocean and the cliff they were on had lava seeping out of it at random points that ran down the cliff and into the ocean. The steam was the product of this. At the edge of the cliff was an overhang with a single large cherry blossom tree and under that tree sat a man.

The group walked up to the tree and Asura spoke "Who are you?" The man seemed surprised by this and looked up to see eight new faces in front of him. The man looked at them and studied them, his red eyes staring through them. He had pale skin and a smile that stretched to the top of his cheeks and black hair that was tied into a ponytail. "I have no name. You aren't supposed to be here." The man said. "Really? And just what are you doing to do about it?" Asura said, feeling cocky. "I'll end you." The man said without blinking.

Asura stepped forward and began to argue like a child "You really gonna threaten me?" Asura asked. The man stood up and still looked at Asura. "Do you know who I am?" He asked. "I haven't the slightest fucking clue." Asura said. "I created you." The man said. "Ha. As if." Asura said in disbelief. "I am the one who planted the seed for everything to be." The man said and sooner than a blink of an eye, punched Asura straight in the face and sent him rocketing back into the steam. Everyone else jumped back and Ace asked. "Who are you!?"

"I have no name. I created everything. I am everything and nothing. While they scurry to and fro, I am. While they cherish their petty deities, idols, and false lords, I am. While they fight their trivial wars, live and die for mortal kings and scoundrels, I am. All priests of false gods kneel to me. All kings of empires great and small kneel to me. Life kneels to me. Death kneels to me. There was a time where I held many titles. Men knew me by other names as well. But titles, fame, infamy… it is worthless here. I wanted so much from life. Satisfaction eluded me. And the things I prayed for… well… would you believe a god actually answered my prayers? These things… this life… this power… such is my reward. This god… this demon… I am him… I want him to remain nameless. His lust for power is fueled by terror and infamy. I write each and every one of your lives in time. You are bound by chains to be pawns of my game. Every action… every word… every thought… has been of my decision. You there with the golden strand. You died from something that was not written in time and thus were brought here with those whose power was banded to your being." The man spoke.

Asura walked out of the steam and every one could tell he was furious. "What… did you just say?" He asked. "You heard me." The man said. "You mean… everything up to this point has been OF YOUR FUCKING DECISION!?" Asura began screaming. "Correct." The man said. "How long has this been going on!?" Asura demanded an answer. "Before the very first cycle." The man said. "Every fucking thing!? You say you're the one to blame FOR ALL THE PAIN I'VE EXPERENCED OVER THE CYCLES?!" Asura's blood boiled. "Correct." The man said. "WHY!? IT'S BEEN GODDAMN TORTURE!" Asura spat back. "Think of every person you've ever met or seen. They each have their own story that is written, like Ace, Priscilla, and any others. None of them can exist without a single thing holding the cycles together, which is you. You exist so that they can live out their lives and without you the balance of everything would be thrown apart." The man said.

"THEN WHY DOES THAT MEAN I'VE HAD TO ENDURE THE DEATHS OF EVERYONE I CARED ABOUT OVER THE EONS. EVERYONE FROM VERLAINE TO ASHE! MARIA TO BRAEBURN! THE LIST GOES ON AND ON BUT I CAN'T FUCKING REMEMBER THEM! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE?! YOUR FAMILY DIEING AND YOU CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THEIR NAMES! I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE SEEN ATHENA DIE!" Asura yelled taking a few steps forward.

"So?" The man asked. "SO? IS THAT YOUR QUESTION!? I OUGHT TO KILL YOU!" Asura spoke. "Hahahaha!" The man laughed. "I guess I was right. If you've gotten this far it seems you have become a perfect husk for this. I'll grant you a deal. You can inherit this domain and do whatever you want so that I may leave and save other worlds in need of my guidance." The man said. Asura thought hard about this deal. He could bring every one back, do anything he wanted, all he had to do was take the man's hand. The man extended his hand and Asura looked down at it and back at the man's face. The man smiled and closed his eyes. In one quick motion, Asura hit the man square in the face, sending him flying off the cliff and into the water.

"You don't deserve to live." Asura said. "How dare you defy me!" The man spoke as he steadied himself and landed on the water, which completely froze instantly. Asura and the others jumped down onto the ice and began running at the man. Conrad and Aleksander burst past everyone else and attacked first. Conrad kicked the man in the stomach while Aleksander kicked the side of his head. The man didn't even flinch and instead grabbed both of their legs and slammed them down into the ice.

Selena and Nadalia were up next. Selena started to summon the toxin and solidified it to form spears which she sent hurling towards the man. Nadalia took the form of Armada and jumped at the man. He dodged the first few of Selena's spears but began to redirect the others. In extremely fast speeds he grabbed one and threw it at Armada which was sent straight through its shoulder. Armada took a few swipes with the colossal arm blades but was stopped abruptly when the man blocked the full force of the attack.

Selena kept hurling the spears and the man was able to hold Armada down with one arm while he caught another one. He then spun around and sent it straight through Armada's chest, where Nadalia was and hit her in the shoulder and ripped her out of the armor. He then ripped off an armor plate and sending it flying towards Selena who took the full force of the impact. Athena and Priscilla were up next and Athena hit the man right in the shoulder with full force of her great sword but was shocked when the sword broke clean in half.

The man grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the ice. The man saw a massive shadow appear underneath him and looked up to see a gigantic chuck of ice hovering above him. Priscilla threw her arms down and sent it crashing down on top of him. Asura and Ace attacked next. The man struggled to keep the ice above him with all his force. His legs were staking as he tried to hold it up. Ace quickly slid up and sliced four times across his chest and stabbed one of the knives in his right leg and the other in the left knee. The man fell to his knees but still held the glacier above him. Asura ran and drop kicked him straight in the face which sent the man crashing into the ground while Asura flew straight forward and out the other side while the glacier fell down on top of him.


	28. Chapter 28

The man threw the glacier off of him and stood up to just barely block attacks from all three of the still standing fighters. Priscilla threw massive chunks of the ice at him and dodged but caught two of them. He spun around on the spot and connected one of the chunks straight to Ace's face and sent him flying into the distance. Asura had Athena's sword's hilt and broken blade and plunged the blade deep into the shoulder blade of the man.

The man roared into the air which sent a shockwave out sending every one away. "Silver emperor!" The man yelled. A large silver glaive slowly rose out of the ice. "Cataclysmic fall!" The man said as he jumped into the air and slammed the glaive into the ice which broke it in half and the crack seemed to go into the distance forever.

"Everyone! Fuck it! Go full power!" Asura yelled. "Finally. Haven't been able to taste such luscious power in so long." Selena said. Everyone's power grew exponentially and they each emerged from the light with new weapons. Aleksander had two large four bladed shurikens. Conrad had an insane amount of special firearms holstered to him. Athena had a strip of cloth hanging from her belt and she had heavy knuckles. Selena had two black and dark purple serrated daggers that she duel wielded. Priscilla had a scythe with a blade on each end of the staff and each blade was attached to a wire that she could release to gain extra distance. Nadalia could now not only change her form but create others at the same time. Ace's weapons didn't change but he still felt much stronger.

Aleksander burst forward first and began to throw the shurikens at the man. The man had hard time blocking each attack because Aleksander threw the same two with lightning fast speeds. He slid around the man and spun around in a circle along with the two shurikens and began to cut away at the man. Aleksander jumped away as Selena jumped in.

She masterfully twirled the daggers around as she lunged in and out of attacking at lightning speeds, creating sparks each time she was blocked which wasn't often. She attacked from all sides and then jumped into the air and slammed down with her daggers and the man blocked. Selena put force into her attack so the man turned all of his attention towards her, giving Athena just enough time to jump in. She connected hundreds of hits in the blink of an eye. She punched the man in the gut and then the chest and then connected a hit straight to his face. She kicked him in the side and punched him in the right of the face and brought her hand back to bitch slap him. She then connected a chop to his neck and kicked him in the face and punched him straight in the back, right into Nadalia who increased the size of her normal tentacles.

She batted him around and then tossed him the air and was about to catch him but he rocketed downwards and slammed her against the ice with amazing force. Priscilla jumped in and began to attack with ferocious power. She tried with all her might to land a single hit on the man but he dodged each one and then grabbed the blade out of the air and pulled her towards him. He slashed his glaive downwards but she dodged it and slid around him. He left his glaive stuck in the ice and he quickly turned around, grabbed her by the back of her head and slammed her into the handle and knocking her out.

Conrad jumped in and wasted no time showing off and burst in with a kick to the man's face. He then unloaded into the man with two pistols while backing up and then pulled out a rifle and fired while spinning around. He dropped to the ground, dodging the thrown glaive, and fired the remaining shots of the pistols. He then began to break dance on the ice as two machine guns came out of his boots and fired as he spun in a cyclone. He then jumped up and fired three shots from a rifle and then threw it away and pulled out a pump action shotgun, pumped it, and fired it directly into the man's chest. Conrad quickly spun around and began to dodge away just as Asura came in with a flying kick straight to the man's face.

Asura connected the kick and in a split second spun around and used the momentum to kick the man straight in the chest. He then punched the man in the face and spun around for another kick which sent the man back and he lunged forward and right hooked him in the head and pulled his hand back and bitch slapped him same as Athena. The man blocked the next attack and began punching back, sending a fury of fists at Asura's chest. Asura dodged the last one and punched the man straight in the stomach and spun around for another kick, delivering three kicks to the chest and one to the face. He then spun on his heel and hit him with the bottom of his boot straight to his face, sending the man flying back.

"You will accept your fate!" The man yelled at Asura. "Not everything bends to your will!" Asura spat back as he picked the man up and slammed him down against the hard ice. The man then jumped back up and tried to hit Asura in the chest but was blocked and pushed away. Asura began throwing hundreds of punches at the man before hitting him square in the stomach and sending him rocketing across the ice, spinning and tumbling as he went.

The man stood up and looked furious. "Arrogant destructor! Your very existence shall be erased!" He yelled as he released a black ball into the sky. The man slowly emerged from the ball and slowly fell to the ground. When his feet hit the floor, everything was erased and replaced with a white color. Everyone else was gone and it only left the man and Asura. The man was now wearing a kind of battle armor that had a candelabra like arrangement of lights on the tips of spears coming out of his back. The armor was black and resembled that of a god.


	29. Chapter 29

Asura burst forward and put all of his power into a punch. The man slowly raised his pointer finger and blocked Asura completely with just that. "Weak. So very weak." The man said as he reeled back and punched Asura straight in the face sending him flying back. "You shall not defy me!" The man said as he lunged forward towards Asura. "You are a fool! The reckoning has come!" He said as he threw a punch at Asura. He threw Asura to the ground and wrapped both hands around his throat. "Do you feel that suffocating feeling? That's fear." The man said. "Actually I think that's your hands crushing my wind pipe but whatever." Asura said as he pumped up and saw the man mid punch. Asura blocked it with his own and grabbed the other arm of the man. The man jumped into the air, spun around, and threw Asura into the ground. The man came crashing down in an attempt to flatten Asura but he rolled out of the way just in time and jumped up to connect a hard blow to the side of the man. "You've done enough! The universe isn't yours to control!" Asura yelled.

"On the contrary, I was the one who created it!" The man said as he crouched down and did a massive uppercut. Asura dodged but felt a massive amount of power and he jumped back as a massive amount of power enveloped the man that surely would have crushed Asura. The man lunged forward and delivered a kick to Asura's chest and sent him flying away. Asura quickly looked up to see the man holding a massive glacier of ice, ready to throw it. "All the suffering this world has seen, was all to choose my heir! Destruction is found in creation and creation in destruction! " The man said as he hurled the chunk of ice at Asura.

Asura barley dodged it as he charged forward and delivered a running punch to the man's face, sending him flying back. "You'll die like the rest of them." The man said. "What?" Asura asked. "Your family. Your filth. You are weak and will die like they did." The man said. Asura's blood boiled as those words left this man's mouth. The man, sooner than a split second, was in front of Asura and with one quick slice of his armored hand, severed Asura's head from his body. Asura's head fell down to the ground but he was far from dead.

In a roar of malfestation, blood curdling power surged over Asura. Out of the power emerged the true and horrific form of the god of destruction. "You are no god! You just a pathetic husk with too much power to know what to deal with!" The man said. Asura roared and rocketed forward with malicious intent. He connected a massive blow straight to the stomach of the man, who didn't move an inch.

Asura left his fist connected and took a few steps forwards and a massive power over flowed over the man like a tidal wave of pain. The man's armor was shattered and he was sent rocketing away. Fire enveloped Asura as he roared towards the heavens. Screams of pain and despair. Of power and insanity. The man slowly stood back up. "What!? Impossible!" The man yelled out in disbelief "This ends now!" Asura yelled. They both lunged at each other but Asura was the first to deliver a devastating blow to the man's face. The man was knocked a few steps back but quickly regained footing and lunged forwards again, connecting another blow square to Asura's face.

Asura regained footing and kicked the man in the side of the chest. The man retaliated with a punch to Asura stomach and a kick to the side. Asura grabbed his leg, spun around, and slammed the man into the ground. He then picked him up and jumped forward and slammed him into the ground, spun him around, and slammed him again.

The man pushed Asura off of him and rocketed forward with a punch, sending Asura flying away. "You are not worthy!" The man said. The man kicked Asura in the right side with his left leg and then in the left with his right leg. Asura grabbed the man's leg and pulled him towards him and as he did this punched the man with full force in the face. The man weakly started to get up. "No….!" "There is always some fucking moron who wants to rule everything!" Asura said clenching a fist. He punched the man in the left side of the face and sent him flying back.

"Always making other people do what they are too scared to do for themselves!" Asura yelled. "How can he be… so powerful…?" The man asked himself out loud. Asura kicked the man straight in the face and sent him flying back even more. "I… am…. The only… god…" The man said. The man lunged forward and tried to punch Asura straight in the face. Asura dodged and connected an uppercut to the man's stomach. "You are pathetic!" Asura said as he connected another upper cut to the man's chin. "Almost pitiful!" Asura said as the man was sent flying back. "This is your end!" Asura yelled as he flew forward. He put every single ounce of power he had inside him into one punch and connected it straight to the man's face. Asura's force blew the side of the man's face completely apart and soon threads of time and fate flew out and into the air.

Asura's soul went heavy as he saw how many threads were left in the air. "There's only enough to…" Asura said to himself realizing there were only enough threads to bring everyone back, bring them back home, and shatter everyone's chains, but not to break the cycles. Asura swallowed and did just that. He couldn't reverse the cycles and thus, until the end of time, everything would repeat but they could now choose their own paths without being controlled like pawns in some sick game.

He had accomplished a feat unthinkable by man. In a battle of overwhelming odds, he won. He had shattered the chains of every single person. That was the day, the destructor had saved everyone from the poorest and sickly elderly person to the gods of everything.


	30. Chapter 30

Ace woke up gently. He sat up, yawned and stretched, sleepily opened his eyes and looked to see he was in his bed back home. He looked over to his side and saw Harley blissfully asleep next to him. Ace gently smiled and kissed her on the lips. He had a wonderful story to tell her in the morning when she wakes up. He knew for a fact it wasn't a dream when he put his hand to his chest where the knife was to find a scar. He had good tidings ahead of him because tomorrow was the annual festival celebrating the founding of the kingdom. He rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Little did he know, as he lay there returning to slumber and Harley was sleeping next to him, was that Harley had something special to tell him as well. The heir of Latoiabridge was inside her. The prince, who was destined to rule the kingdom one day.


End file.
